Experimental investigation of strong field trident production
PHYSICAL REVIEW D, vol.82, no.7, 2010 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
- Publication Type: Article / Article
- Volume: 82 Issue: 7
- Publication Date: 2010
- Doi Number: 10.1103/physrevd.82.072002
- Journal Name: PHYSICAL REVIEW D
- Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
- Istanbul University Affiliated: Yes
Abstract
We show by experiment that an electron impinging on an electric field that is of critical magnitude in its rest frame, may produce an electron-positron pair. Our measurements address higher-order QED, using the strong electric fields obtainable along particular crystallographic directions in single crystals. For the amorphous material our data are in good agreement with theory, whereas a discrepancy with theory on the magnitude of the trident enhancement is found in the precisely aligned case where the strong electric field acts.