α decay and cluster radioactivity in extreme laser fields

The potential of high-intensity lasers to influence nuclear decay processes has attracted considerable interest. This study quantitatively evaluated the effects of high-intensity lasers on α decay and cluster radioactivity. Our calculations revealed that, among the parent nuclei investigated, 144Nd is the most susceptible to laser-induced alterations, primarily because of its relatively low decay energy. Additionally, circularly polarized lasers exhibit a greater impact on decay modifications than linearly polarized lasers. Given the limited time resolution of current detectors, it is essential to account for the time-averaging effect of the laser. By incorporating the effects of circular polarization, time averaging, and angular averaging, our theoretical predictions indicated that the modification of 144Nd decay could reach 0.1% at an intensity of 1027 W/cm2. However, this intensity significantly exceeds the current laser capability of 1023 W/cm2, and the predicted modification of 0.1% remains below the detection threshold of contemporary measurement techniques. Observing laser-assisted α decay and 14C cluster radioactivity will likely remain unfeasible until both ultrahigh laser intensities and significant advancements in experimental resolution are achieved.