skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Monoenergetic Proton Beams Accelerated by a Radiation Pressure Driven Shock

Journal Article · · Physical Review Letters

We report on the acceleration of impurity-free quasimononenergetic proton beams from an initially gaseous hydrogen target driven by an intense infrared ({lambda} = 10 {micro}m) laser. The front surface of the target was observed by optical probing to be driven forward by the radiation pressure of the laser. A proton beam of MeV energy was simultaneously recorded with narrow energy spread ({sigma}-4%), low normalized emittance (-8 nm), and negligible background. The scaling of proton energy with the ratio of intensity over density (I/n) confirms that the acceleration is due to the radiation pressure driven shock.

Research Organization:
Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
DOE - OFFICE OF SCIENCE
DOE Contract Number:
DE-AC02-98CH10886
OSTI ID:
1021395
Report Number(s):
BNL-95101-2011-JA; PRLTAO; TRN: US1103966
Journal Information:
Physical Review Letters, Vol. 106, Issue 1; ISSN 0031-9007
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

Similar Records

Quasi-monoenergetic protons accelerated by laser radiation pressure and shocks in thin gaseous targets
Journal Article · Sun Jul 15 00:00:00 EDT 2012 · Physics of Plasmas · OSTI ID:1021395

Quasi-monoenergetic ion beam acceleration by laser-driven shock and solitary waves in near-critical plasmas
Journal Article · Fri Jul 15 00:00:00 EDT 2016 · Physics of Plasmas · OSTI ID:1021395

Influence of shock waves on laser-driven proton acceleration
Journal Article · Wed Aug 15 00:00:00 EDT 2007 · Physical Review. E, Statistical Physics, Plasmas, Fluids, and Related Interdisciplinary Topics · OSTI ID:1021395