Generation of Collimated Bright Gamma Rays with Controllable Angular Momentum Using Intense Laguerre-Gaussian Laser Pulses

Abstract

Short, brilliant pulses of MeV-level gamma rays with controllable orbital angular momentum (OAM) and small divergence angle would be useful for precision microscopy, nuclear imaging, radiography, micromanipulation, and more. These pulses are still unavailable, though, due to the unavoidable laser-induced damage associated with traditional methods. The authors show how to make such a gamma-ray pulse (shown in red), based on tailored interaction of an intense OAM-carrying Laguerre-Gaussian laser pulse (green) with underdense plasma. The topological structure, divergence angle, and OAM of the resulting gamma-ray pulse can be controlled by selecting the topological charge of the laser.