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Title: Ion acceleration in electrostatic collisionless shock: on the optimal density profile for quasi-monoenergetic beams

Journal Article · · Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
ORCiD logo [1];  [2];  [3]; ORCiD logo [4]; ORCiD logo [1]
  1. Univ. de Lisboa, Lisbon (Portugal). Inst. of Superior Tecnico (IST)
  2. SLAC National Accelerator Lab., Menlo Park, CA (United States)
  3. Ruhr Univ., Bochum (Germany). Inst. fur Theoretische Physik, Lehrstuhl IV: Weltraum- und Astrophysik
  4. Univ. Inst. of Lisbon (ISCTE -IUL), Lisbon (Portugal). Dept. of Information Science and Technology (DCTI)
+ Show Author Affiliations

Here, a numerical study on ion acceleration in electrostatic shock waves is presented, with the aim of determining the best plasma configuration to achieve quasi-monoenergetic ion beams in laser-driven systems. It was recently shown that tailored near-critical density plasmas characterized by a long-scale decreasing rear density profile lead to beams with low energy spread (Fiúza et al 2012 Phys. Rev. Lett. 109 215001). In this work, a detailed parameter scan investigating different plasma scale lengths is carried out. As result, the optimal plasma spatial scale length that allows for minimizing the energy spread while ensuring a significant reflection of ions by the shock is identified. Furthermore, a new configuration where the required profile has been obtained by coupling micro layers of different densities is proposed. Lastly, results show that this new engineered approach is a valid alternative, guaranteeing a low energy spread with a higher level of controllability.

Research Organization:
SLAC National Accelerator Lab., Menlo Park, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE; European Research Council (ERC)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC02-76SF00515; 267841; 695008
OSTI ID:
1423136
Journal Information:
Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion, Vol. 60, Issue 3; ISSN 0741-3335
Publisher:
IOP ScienceCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 9 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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Cited By (2)

All-optical cascaded ion acceleration in segmented tubes driven by multiple independent laser pulses journal September 2019
High-flux high-energy ion beam production from stable collisionless shock acceleration by intense petawatt-picosecond laser pulses journal March 2019

Figures / Tables (6)

Figure 1(p. 3)figure Figure 1
Figure 2(p. 4)figure Figure 2
Figure 3(p. 5)figure Figure 3
Figure 4(p. 7)figure Figure 4
Figure 5(p. 7)figure Figure 5
Figure 6(p. 8)figure Figure 6

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