Optimized photonic gauge of extreme high vacuum with Petawatt lasers

Abstract

One of the latest proposed applications of ultra-intense laser pulses is their possible use to gauge extreme high vacuum by measuring the photon radiation resulting from nonlinear Thomson scattering within a vacuum tube. Here, we provide a complete analysis of the process, computing the expected rates and spectra both for linear and circular polarizations of the laser pulses, taking into account the effect of the time envelope in a slowly-varying envelope approximation. We also design a realistic experimental configuration allowing for the implementation of the idea and compute the corresponding geometric efficiencies. Finally, we develop an optimization procedure for this Photonic Gauge of Extreme High Vacuum at high repetition rate Petawatt and multi-Petawatt laser facilities, such as VEGA, JuSPARC and ELI.

Self-induced mode mixing of ultraintense lasers in vacuum

“…Taking, e.g., P = 100 PW, T = 300 K, w 0 = 1 μm, we get p < p lim ≈ 10 −8 Pa, an ultrahigh vacuum achievable with present-day technology. We remark that the pressure may also be gauged with the ultraintense laser itself [36,37].…”