Energy dependence of polarized 𝛾𝛾 → 𝑒 + 𝑒− in peripheral Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 54.4 and 200 GeV with the STAR experiment at RHIC
We report the differential yields at mid-rapidity of the Breit-Wheeler process (𝛾𝛾 → 𝑒 + 𝑒 − ) in peripheral Au+Aucollisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 54.4 and 200 GeV with the STAR experiment at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC), as a function of energy $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$, 𝑒 + 𝑒 − transverse momentum 𝑝 T , 𝑝$^{2}_{T}$, invariant mass 𝑀 𝑒𝑒 , and azimuthal angle. In the invariant mass range of 0.4 < 𝑀 𝑒𝑒 < 2.6GeV/𝑐 2 at low transverse momentum (𝑝 T < 0.15GeV/𝑐), the yields increase while the pair √⟨𝑝$^{2}_{T}$⟩ decreases with increasing $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$, a feature that is correctly predicted by the QED calculation. Here, the energy dependencies of the measured quantities are sensitive to the nuclear form factor, infrared divergence and photon polarization. The data are compiled and used to extract the charge radius of the Au nucleus.