arXiv subjects

Bing-Jun Li

Publications and source records attributed to Bing-Jun Li.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Probing vacuum birefringence in an Ultrastrong Laser Field via High-energy Gamma-ray Polarimetry

Vacuum birefringence (VB), a fundamental prediction of nonlinear quantum electrodynamics (QED), has eluded direct laboratory detection due to its extreme weakness. We propose a compact, "self-probing" scheme where a GeV electron beam collides head-on with a petawatt laser pulse. Circularly polarized gamma-ray photons, generated via nonlinear Compton scattering in the same pulse, then probe the birefringent vacuum it induces. This integrated design bypasses the stringent synchronization and beam transport requirements of traditional pump-probe setups. Our nonperturbative strong-field QED simulations reveal a clear VB signature: conversion of circular to linear polarization, with the induced Stokes parameter $S_1$ reaching ~0.019 within the selected angular range. This corresponds to a refractive index difference $\Delta n = 1.829 \times 10^{-4}$ over micron-scale paths, directly measurable as a high-contrast "X-shape" asymmetry in $e^+e^-$ pair distributions. The scheme provides a feasible path to first laboratory VB detection with current laser and accelerator technologies.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2025

All-Optical Generation of Dense, Multi-GeV, Longitudinally-Polarized Positron Beams

The production of high-yield, longitudinally polarized positron beams represents an outstanding challenge in advanced accelerator science. Laser-driven schemes offer a compact alternative but typically yield only transverse polarization, or require pre-polarized electron beams, and struggle to efficiently accelerate positrons to high energies. Here, we introduce an all-optical scheme that overcomes these limitations by integrating positron generation, acceleration, and spin manipulation in a unified framework. Through a head-on collision between an ultraintense, circularly polarized laser pulse and a counterpropagating unpolarized electron beam, we drive a robust QED cascade. The nonlinear Breit-Wheeler process within the cascade produces positrons that are born directly within the strong laser field. Crucially, these positrons are instantaneously captured and accelerated to multi-GeV energies (up to $\sim$9 GeV) via a direct laser acceleration mechanism, while their spins are simultaneously rotated to longitudinal alignment by the field dynamics. Our Monte-Carlo simulations confirm the simultaneous achievement of a high positron yield ($\sim$20 $e^+/e^-$), a high average longitudinal polarization ($\sim$50\%), and GeV-scale energies. This all-optical source, feasible at upcoming ultraintense laser facilities, presents a compact and efficient solution for applications in collider physics and fundamental high-energy experiments.

physics.acc-ph↗

arXiv2021

Spin and polarization effects on the nonlinear Breit-Wheeler pair production in laser-plasma interaction

The spin effect of electrons/positrons ($e^-$/$e^+$) and polarization effect of $γ$ photons are investigated in the interaction of two counter-propagating linearly polarized 10-PW-class laser pulses with a thin foil target. The processes of nonlinear Compton scattering and nonlinear Breit-Wheeler pair production based on spin- and polarization-resolved probabilities are implemented into the particle-in-cell (PIC) algorithm by Monte Carlo methods. It is found from PIC simulations that the average degree of linear polarization of emitted $γ$ photons can exceed $50\%$. This polarization effect leads to reduced positron yield by about $10\%$. At some medium positron energies, the reduction can reach $20\%$. Furthermore, we also observe that the local spin polarization of $e^-$/$e^+$ leads to a slight decrease of the positron yield about $2\%$ and some anomalous phenomena about the positron spectrum and photon polarization at the high-energy range, due to spin-dependent photon emissions. Our results indicate that spin and polarization effects should be considered in calculating the pair production and laser-plasma interaction with the laser power of 10-PW class.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2020

Quantum-stochasticity-induced asymmetry in angular distribution of electrons in a quasi-classical regime

Impacts of quantum stochasticity on the dynamics of an ultra-relativistic electron beam head-on colliding with a linearly polarized ultra-intense laser pulse are theoretically investigated in a quasi-classical regime. Generally, the angular distribution of the electron beam keeps symmetrically in transverse directions in this regime, even under the ponderomotive force of the laser pulse. Here we show that when the initial angular divergence $Δθ_i \lesssim 10^{-6} a_0^2$ with $a_0$ being the normalized laser field amplitude, an asymmetric angular distribution of the electron beam arises due to the quantum stochasticity effect, via simulations employing Landau-Lifshitz, quantum-modified Landau-Lifshitz equations, and quantum stochastic radiation reaction form to describe the radiative electron dynamics respectively. The asymmetry is robust against a variety of laser and electron parameters, providing an experimentally detectable signature for the nature of quantum stochasticity of photon emission with laser and electron beams currently available.

physics.plasm-ph↗