The process starts by aiming a high-power laser at a target to generate a magnetic field as strong as that of a neutron star. This field generates gamma ray emissions that collide to produce—for the very briefest instant—pairs of matter and antimatter particles.

Extreme Light Infrastructure (ELI) high-power laser facilities in Eastern Europe could produce real results in one to two years.

New simulations suggest that by increasing the size of the focal spot and boosting the laser power to around 4 petawatts, the laser's intensity could remain fixed and still create the strong (1000 Tesla) magnetic field.