title: Possibility of prolific pair production with high-power lasers.
abstract: Prolific electron-positron pair production is possible at laser intensities approaching 10;{24} W cm;{-2} at a wavelength of 1 mum. An analysis of electron trajectories and interactions at the nodes (B=0) of two counterpropagating, circularly polarized laser beams shows that a cascade of gamma rays and pairs develops. The geometry is generalized qualitatively to linear polarization and laser beams incident on a solid target.
authors.affiliation: Clarendon Laboratory, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PU, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Bell
authors.forename: John G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Kirk