5.5-7.5 MeV Proton Generation by a Moderate-Intensity Ultrashort-Pulse Laser Interaction with H{sub 2}O Nanowire Targets

Journal Article · Fri Apr 01 00:00:00 EDT 2011 · Physical Review Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PHYSREVLETT.106.134801· OSTI ID:21550259

Zigler, A; Palchan, T; Bruner, N; Schleifer, E; Eisenmann, S; Botton, M; Henis, Z ^[1]; Pikuz, S A; Faenov, Jr, A Y ^[2]; Gordon, D; Sprangle, P ^[3]

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1. Racah Institute of Physics, Hebrew University, Jerusalem 91904 (Israel)
2. Joint Institute for High Temperatures, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow (Russian Federation)
3. Plasma Physics Division, Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, D.C. 20375 (United States)

We report on the first generation of 5.5-7.5 MeV protons by a moderate-intensity short-pulse laser ({approx}5x10{sup 17} W/cm{sup 2}, 40 fsec) interacting with frozen H{sub 2}O nanometer-size structure droplets (snow nanowires) deposited on a sapphire substrate. In this setup, the laser intensity is locally enhanced by the snow nanowire, leading to high spatial gradients. Accordingly, the nanoplasma is subject to enhanced ponderomotive potential, and confined charge separation is obtained. Electrostatic fields of extremely high intensities are produced over the short scale length, and protons are accelerated to MeV-level energies.

• OSTI ID: 21550259
• Journal Information: Physical Review Letters, Vol. 106, Issue 13; Other Information: DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.106.134801; (c) 2011 American Institute of Physics; ISSN 0031-9007
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
INTERACTIONS
LASERS
MEV RANGE 01-10
PONDEROMOTIVE FORCE
POTENTIALS
PROTONS
PULSES
QUANTUM WIRES
SAPPHIRE
SUBSTRATES
WATER
BARYONS
CORUNDUM
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
ENERGY RANGE
FERMIONS
HADRONS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
MEV RANGE
MINERALS
NANOSTRUCTURES
NUCLEONS
OXIDE MINERALS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS