Nuclear photonics: results and prospects

We review the modern state of research in a new scientific field that has emerged recently: nuclear photonics. The name is primarily associated with the development of new-generation gamma-ray sources based on traditional and laser–plasma electron accelerators. The use of the Compton backscattering method to ensure the required parameters of gamma-ray beams provides a high energy and high intensity of the beam, low angular divergence, and a high degree of polarization. Beams of ions, neutrons, and other particles can also be formed using modern high-power laser systems. Overall, the sources produced allow solving a number of important fundamental and applied problems, including optical anisotropy effects in nuclei and studies of nonlinear quantum electrodynamic effects in strong electromagnetic fields and of the excitation of nuclear isomers. Among the important applied problems are the generation of neutrons and positrons, laboratory astrophysics, the development of nuclear nonproliferation inspection systems, and nuclear medicine and biology.