Creating Antimatter or Storing Energy in Space: A Possibility?

In summary, 2 photons with energies of at least 0.511 MeV can potentially create an electron and positron pair when crossing the same spot at the same time, resulting in 1.22 MeV energy in a single point. However, this process is not cost-effective or convenient for creating antimatter. There are also ongoing efforts to design photon-photon colliders, with the possibility of using powerful lasers in electron colliders to produce bunches of energetic photons.
  • #1
Edi
177
1
2 photons with energies of at least 0.511 MeV are crossing the same spot at the same time - there is 1.22 MeV energy in a point, enough to create electron and positron pair. Will it happen?
If yes, isn't it a nice way to create antimatter, or at least anti-electrons?
If it doesn't, then one could potentially store the energy of, for example, 1Kg in space smaller than an atom and there would be no mass. It could even be much much more energy, possibly infinite. Even if its for tiniest of time scale, still - either one could relatively easy create anti-matter, or ,potentianally, store +- infinite amounts of energy in a single point (or something close to a point) without any mass created ... OR?
 
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  • #2
Edi said:
Will it happen?

Yes.

Edi said:
If yes, isn't it a nice way to create antimatter, or at least anti-electrons?

Well, it's not very cost-effective. It's also not very convenient since you make positrons at or near rest right next to electrons, so they can then immediately annihilate.
 
  • #3
Hmm, so what about HiPER? That fusion reactor. Shouldn't there be electron and positron creation before the multiple laser beams hit the deuterium-tritium (?) ball?
 
  • #4
Of course not. You wrote yourself 0.511 MeV. No laser puts out photons of anywhere near that energy.
 
  • #5
Vanadium 50 said:
Yes.

Not "Yes". "Probably".

But cross-section should be sizable (order of ~0.1 barn at resonance), since it's a crossing of Compton scattering.

People are actually working on designing photon-photon colliders. It's not too difficult to modify an electron collider to produce bunches of energetic photons, main thing needed is a powerful laser. If ILC is ever built, one of its operating modes will probably be photon-photon.

http://tesla.desy.de/new_pages/TDR_CD/PartVI/chapter1.pdf
 
Last edited:
  • #6
No, it's observed. You see it with bremsstrahlung photons in e+e- colliders.
 

1. What is antimatter and how is it created?

Antimatter is the opposite counterpart of normal matter, with particles having the opposite charge. It can be created through a process called pair production, where high-energy particles collide and produce equal amounts of matter and antimatter.

2. How can antimatter be used to store energy in space?

Antimatter can be used to store energy in space through a process called annihilation. When antimatter and matter collide, they annihilate each other and release a large amount of energy. This energy can be harnessed and stored for use in space exploration or other applications.

3. What are the challenges of creating and storing antimatter in space?

One of the main challenges of creating and storing antimatter in space is the high cost and difficulty of producing and containing it. Antimatter is highly unstable and requires advanced technology to produce and store it in a controlled environment. It also requires a significant amount of energy to produce, making it an expensive option for energy storage.

4. Is creating and storing antimatter in space safe?

While antimatter has the potential to be very destructive, it can be safely handled and stored in controlled environments. However, the process of creating and storing antimatter is still in its early stages and more research and development is needed to ensure its safety in space.

5. What are the potential benefits of using antimatter for energy storage in space?

The use of antimatter for energy storage in space has the potential to provide a highly efficient and compact form of energy. It could also open up new possibilities for long-distance space travel and exploration, as well as have applications in other industries such as medicine and power generation.

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