arXiv subjects

Wei-Min Wang

Publications and source records attributed to Wei-Min Wang.

32 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

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

Low-frequency whistler waves excited by relativistic laser pulses

It is shown by multi-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations that intense secondary whistler waves with special vortex-like field topology can be excited by a relativistic laser pulse in the highly magnetized, near-critical density plasma. Such whistler waves with lower frequencies obliquely propagate on both sides of the laser propagation axis. The energy conversion rate from laser to whistler waves can exceed 15%. Their dispersion relations and field polarization properties can be well explained by the linear cold-plasma model. The present work presents a new excitation mechanism of whistler modes extending to the relativistic regime and could also be applied in magnetically assisted fast ignition.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2020

Generation of highly-polarized high-energy brilliant $γ$-rays via laser-plasma interaction

Generation of highly-polarized high-energy brilliant $γ$-rays via laser-plasma interaction has been investigated in the quantum radiation-reaction regime. We employ a quantum-electrodynamics particle-in-cell code to describe spin-resolved electron dynamics semiclassically and photon emission and polarization quantum mechanically in the local constant field approximation. As an ultrastrong linearly-polarized (LP) laser pulse irradiates on a near-critical-density (NCD) plasma followed by an ultrathin planar aluminum target, the electrons in NCD plasma are first accelerated by the driving laser to ultrarelativistic energies, and then head-on collide with reflected laser pulse by the aluminum target, emitting brilliant LP $γ$-rays due to nonlinear Compton scattering with an average polarization of about 70\% and energy up to hundreds of MeV. By comparison, as a conical gold target filled with NCD plasma is employed, the linear polarization degree, collimation and brilliance of emitted $γ$-ray beam are all significantly improved due to the enhanced strong laser-driven quasi-static magnetic field in plasmas. Such $γ$-rays can be produced with currently achievable laser facilities and find various applications in high-energy physics and astrophysics.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2020

Production of Highly Polarized Positron Beams via Helicity Transfer from Polarized Electrons in a Strong Laser Field

The production of a highly-polarized positron beam via nonlinear Breit-Wheeler processes during the interaction of an ultraintense circularly polarized laser pulse with a longitudinally spin-polarized ultrarelativistic electron beam is investigated theoretically. A new Monte Carlo method employing fully spin-resolved quantum probabilities is developed under the local constant field approximation to include three-dimensional polarizations effects in strong laser fields. The produced positrons are longitudinally polarized through polarization transferred from the polarized electrons by the medium of high-energy photons. The polarization transfer efficiency can approach 100\% for the energetic positrons moving at smaller deflection angles. This method simplifies the post-selection procedure to generate high-quality positrons in further applications. In a feasible scenario, a highly polarized ($40\%-65\%$), intense ($10^5$/bunch$-10^6 $/bunch), collimated ($5$mrad$-70$ mrad) positron beam can be obtained in a femtosecond timescale. The longitudinally polarized positron sources are desirable for applications in high-energy physics and material science .

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2019

Guided propagation of extremely intense lasers in plasma via ion motion

The upcoming $10-100$ petawatt laser facilities may deliver laser pulses with unprecedented intensity of $10^{22}-10^{25}\rm~W cm^{-2}$, which can trigger various nonlinear quantum electrodynamic processes in plasma. For effective laser plasma interactions at such high intensity levels, guided laser propagation is critical. However, this becomes impossible via usual plasma electron response to laser fields due to electron cavitation by the laser ponderomotive force. Here, we find that ion response to the laser fields may effectively guide laser propagation at such high intensity levels. The corresponding conditions of the required ion density distribution and laser power are presented and verified by three-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations. Our theory shall serve as a guide for future experimental design involving ultrahigh intensity lasers.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2019

Spin-polarization effects of an ultrarelativistic electron beam in an ultraintense two-color laser pulse

Spin-polarization effects of an ultrarelativistic electron beam head-on colliding with an ultraintense two-color laser pulse are investigated comprehensively in the quantum radiation-dominated regime. We employ a Monte Carlo method, derived from the recent work of [Phys. Rev. Lett. {\bf 122}, 154801 (2019)], to calculate the spin-resolved electron dynamics and photon emissions in the local constant field approximation. We find that electron radiation probabilities in adjacent half cycles of a two-color laser field are substantially asymmetric due to the asymmetric field strengths, and consequently, after interaction the electron beam can obtain a total polarization of about 11\% and a partial polarization of up to about 63\% because of radiative spin effects, with currently achievable laser facilities, which may be utilized in high-energy physics and nuclear physics. Moreover, the considered effects are shown to be crucially determined by the relative phase of the two-color laser field and robust with respect to other laser and electron beam parameters.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2017

Quantitative Bounds on the Rate of Approach to Equilibrium for some One-Dimensional Stochastic Non-Linear Schrödinger Equations

We establish quantitative bounds on the rate of approach to equilibrium for a system with infinitely many degrees of freedom evolving according to a one-dimensional focusing nonlinear Schrödinger equation with diffusive forcing. Equilibrium is described by a generalized grand canonical ensemble. Our analysis also applies to the easier case of defocusing nonlinearities

math-ph↗

arXiv2015

Quasi-periodic solutions for nonlinear wave equations (announcement)

We construct time quasi-periodic solutions to nonlinear wave equations on the torus in arbitrary dimensions. All previously known results (in the case of zero or a multiplicative potential) seem to be limited to the circle. This generalizes the method developed in the limit-elliptic setting of NLS to the hyperbolic setting. The additional ingredient is a Diophantine property of algebraic numbers.

math.AP↗

arXiv2010

Spectral Methods in PDE

This is to review some recent progress in PDE. The emphasis is on (energy) supercritical nonlinear Schrödinger equations. The methods are applicable to other nonlinear equations.

math.AP↗

arXiv2010

Eigenfunction localization for the 2D periodic Schrödinger operator

We prove that for any {\it fixed} trigonometric polynomial potential satisfying a genericity condition, the spectrum of the two dimension periodic Schrödinger operator has finite multiplicity and the Fourier series of the eigenfunctions are uniformly exponentially localized about a finite number of frequencies. As a corollary, the $L^p$ norms of the eigenfunctions are bounded for all $p>0$, which answers a question of Toth and Zelditch \cite{TZ}.

math.AP↗

arXiv2009

Quasi-periodic solutions of the Schrödinger equation with arbitrary algebraic nonlinearities

We present a geometric formulation of existence of time quasi-periodic solutions. As an application, we prove the existence of quasi-periodic solutions of $b$ frequencies, $b\leq d+2$, in arbitrary dimension $d$ and for arbitrary non integrable algebraic nonlinearity $p$. This reflects the conservation of $d$ momenta, energy and $L^2$ norm. In 1d, we prove the existence of quasi-periodic solutions with arbitrary $b$ and for arbitrary $p$, solving a problem that started Hamiltonian PDE.

math.AP↗

arXiv2009

Integrals of products of Hermite functions

We compute the integrals of products of Hermite functions using the generating functions. The precise asymptotics of 4 Hermite functions are presented below. This estimate is relevant for the corresponding cubic nonlinear equation.

math-ph↗

arXiv2002

Anderson Localization for Time Quasi Periodic Random Schödinger and Wave Operators

We prove that at large disorder, with large probability and for a set of Diophantine frequencies of large measure, Anderson localization in $\Bbb Z^d$ is {\it stable} under localized time-quasi-periodic perturbations by proving that the associated quasi-energy operator has pure point spectrum. The main tools are the Fröhlich-Spencer mechanism for the random component and the Bourgain-Goldstein-Schlag mechanism for the quasi-periodic component. The formulation of this problem is motivated by questions of Anderson localization for non-linear Schrödinger equations.

math.SP↗

arXiv2002

Anderson Localization for Time Periodic Random Schrödinger operators

We prove that at large disorder, Anderson localization in $\Z^d$ is stable under localized time-periodic perturbations by proving that the associated quasi-energy operator has pure point spectrum. The formulation of this problem is motivated by questions of Anderson localization for non-linear Schrödinger equations.

math.SP↗