Enhancing 10 TeV $γγ$-collider luminosity through scattering-laser wavelength selection in the presence of prolific electron-positron pair production

Abstract

A $γγ$-collider capable of reaching the 10 TeV parton-center-of-momentum (pCM) frontier of particle physics may enable the study of phenomena beyond the Standard Model. Based on compact linear wakefield accelerator technology, such a collider could be realized by Compton scattering multi-TeV lepton beams off moderate-intensity laser pulses close to the collider interaction point, producing the required $γ$-photons. It is shown that, for a wide range of scattering-laser wavelengths, $γγ$-collisions at the interaction point can meet the luminosity requirements for novel particle physics studies, even in the presence of the prolific electron-positron pair production that accompanies the interaction of the scattering laser with the multi-TeV lepton beam. Notably, this pair production imposes a natural limit on the maximum achievable photon luminosity. Accounting for this limit and for the angular divergence of the Compton photons yields an enhanced $γγ$-collider luminosity for 250 nm and 1.25 nm scattering lasers. Moreover, the secondary pairs can themselves be exploited in physics studies, since their luminosity is high enough to produce heavy particles at rates needed for discoveries well beyond the reach of existing colliders.