Monte Carlo analysis of electron-positron pair creation by powerful laser-ion impact

We consider electron-positron pair creation by the impact of very powerful laser pulses with highly charged ions. In contrast to our foregoing work with rather limited angular configurations of pair creation, we extend these calculations to even higher laser intensities, and we use the Monte Carlo method to numerically analyze the rates of pair creation for arbitrary angular distributions. We also evaluate the intensity dependence of the total rates of pair creation. Thus we demonstrate that our laser-induced process shows stabilization, because beyond a specific laser power the total rates of pair creation decreases. Our analysis of the angular distributions of the created electron-positron pairs leads to the conclusion that pairs are predominantly emitted in the direction of laser pulse propagation.