Electron–positron cascades in multiple-laser optical traps

Abstract

We present an analytical and numerical study of multiple-laser QED cascades induced with linearly polarised laser pulses. We analyse different polarisation orientations and propose a configuration that maximises cascade multiplicity and favours laser absorption. We generalise the analytical estimate for the cascade growth rate previously calculated in the field of two colliding linearly polarised laser pulses and account for multiple laser interaction. The estimate is verified by a comprehensive numerical study of four-laser QED cascades across a range of different laser intensities with QED PIC module of OSIRIS. We show that by using four linearly polarised 30 fs laser pulses, one can convert more than 50% of the total energy to gamma- rays at laser intensity I similar or equal to 10(24) W cm(-2). In this configuration, the laser conversion efficiency is higher compared with the case with two colliding lasers.