Computational modeling of proton acceleration with multi-picosecond and high energy, kilojoule, lasers

Kim, J.; Kemp, A. J.; Wilks, S. C.; Kalantar, D. H.; Kerr, S.; Mariscal, D.; Beg, F. N.; McGuffey, C.; Ma, T.

doi:10.1063/1.5040410

Computational modeling of proton acceleration with multi-picosecond and high energy, kilojoule, lasers

Journal Article · Fri Aug 10 00:00:00 EDT 2018 · Physics of Plasmas

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5040410· OSTI ID:1718995

^[1]; Kemp, A. J. ^[2]; Wilks, S. C. ^[2]; Kalantar, D. H. ^[2]; Kerr, S. ^[2]; Mariscal, D. ^[2]; Beg, F. N. ^[1]; ^[1]; Ma, T. ^[2]

Univ. of California, San Diego, CA (United States)
Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

Here, we use computational modeling to investigate proton beam generation from kilojoule, multi-picosecond laser pulses pertinent to several recently commissioned, large-scale laser facilities. The dependencies of proton acceleration on electron source parameters including pulse duration, temperature, and flux are independently and systematically evaluated. Proton acceleration is found to depend not only on the source size and peak temperature of the injected electrons but also on the rate of increase for a more physical time-varying temperature. Simulations of a 10 ps, sub-relativistic intensity (8 × 10¹⁷ W/cm²) at 1 μm wavelength laser pulse show that energetic electrons generated within the expanding under-dense laser-produced plasma sustain the proton acceleration for ~20 ps. This results in 15 MeV energy gain of the protons, well above what would be predicted based on conventional intensity scalings or what has been observed with shorter pulses. Using this prolonged acceleration, a scheme consisting of a 1 ps and 10 ps double pulse is shown to further boost proton maximum energy.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) Program; USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC52-07NA27344

OSTI ID:: 1718995

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1463935

Report Number(s):: LLNL-JRNL--750501; 935732

Journal Information:: Physics of Plasmas, Journal Name: Physics of Plasmas Journal Issue: 8 Vol. 25; ISSN 1070-664X

Publisher:: American Institute of Physics (AIP)Copyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

References (49)

Introducing the fission–fusion reaction process: using a laser-accelerated Th beam to produce neutron-rich nuclei towards the N=126 waiting point of the r-process Habs, D.; Thirolf, P. G.; Gross, M. Applied Physics B, Vol. 103, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1007/s00340-010-4261-x	journal	October 2010
MeV proton generation and efficiency from an intense laser irradiated foil Foord, M. E.; Patel, P. K.; Mackinnon, A. J. High Energy Density Physics, Vol. 3, Issue 3-4 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hedp.2006.12.001	journal	October 2007
LMJ/PETAL laser facility: Overview and opportunities for laboratory astrophysics Casner, A.; Caillaud, T.; Darbon, S. High Energy Density Physics, Vol. 17 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hedp.2014.11.009	journal	December 2015
Laser-driven proton scaling laws and new paths towards energy increase Fuchs, J.; Antici, P.; d’Humières, E. Nature Physics, Vol. 2, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1038/nphys199	journal	December 2005
Focusing of short-pulse high-intensity laser-accelerated proton beams Bartal, Teresa; Foord, Mark E.; Bellei, Claudio Nature Physics, Vol. 8, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1038/nphys2153	journal	December 2011
Scaling of proton acceleration driven by petawatt-laser–plasma interactions Robson, L.; Simpson, P. T.; Clarke, R. J. Nature Physics, Vol. 3, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1038/nphys476	journal	December 2006
Plasma density limits for hole boring by intense laser pulses Iwata, Natsumi; Kojima, Sadaoki; Sentoku, Yasuhiko Nature Communications, Vol. 9, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-018-02829-5	journal	February 2018
Thermal conductivity measurements of proton-heated warm dense aluminum McKelvey, A.; Kemp, G. E.; Sterne, P. A. Scientific Reports, Vol. 7, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-07173-0	journal	August 2017
Boosting laser-ion acceleration with multi-picosecond pulses Yogo, A.; Mima, K.; Iwata, N. Scientific Reports, Vol. 7, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1038/srep42451	journal	February 2017
10-kJ PW laser for the FIREX-I program Miyanaga, N.; Azechi, H.; Tanaka, K. A. Journal de Physique IV (Proceedings), Vol. 133 https://doi.org/10.1051/jp4:2006133016	journal	June 2006
Energetic proton generation in ultra-intense laser–solid interactions Wilks, S. C.; Langdon, A. B.; Cowan, T. E. Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 8, Issue 2, p. 542-549 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1333697	journal	February 2001
Coupled particle-in-cell and Monte Carlo transport modeling of intense radiographic sources Rose, D. V.; Welch, D. R.; Oliver, B. V. Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 91, Issue 5 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1448868	journal	March 2002
Proton spectra from ultraintense laser–plasma interaction with thin foils: Experiments, theory, and simulation Allen, M.; Sentoku, Y.; Audebert, P. Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 10, Issue 8 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1592154	journal	August 2003
MeV-order proton and carbon ion acceleration by irradiation of 60 fs TW laser pulses on thin copper tape Fujii, Takashi; Oishi, Yuji; Nayuki, Takuya Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 83, Issue 8 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1605248	journal	August 2003
Plasma Expansion into a Vacuum Widner, M. Physics of Fluids, Vol. 14, Issue 4 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1693510	journal	January 1971
Integrated simulation of the generation and transport of proton beams from laser-target interaction Welch, D. R.; Rose, D. V.; Cuneo, M. E. Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 13, Issue 6 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2207587	journal	June 2006
Laser generated proton beam focusing and high temperature isochoric heating of solid matter Snavely, R. A.; Zhang, B.; Akli, K. Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 14, Issue 9 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2774001	journal	September 2007
Bremsstrahlung and Kα fluorescence measurements for inferring conversion efficiencies into fast ignition relevant hot electrons Chen, C. D.; Patel, P. K.; Hey, D. S. Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 16, Issue 8 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3183693	journal	August 2009
Transport study of intense-laser-produced fast electrons in solid targets with a preplasma created by a long pulse laser Yabuuchi, T.; Paradkar, B. S.; Wei, M. S. Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 17, Issue 6 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3447878	journal	June 2010
Production of neutrons up to 18 MeV in high-intensity, short-pulse laser matter interactions Higginson, D. P.; McNaney, J. M.; Swift, D. C. Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 18, Issue 10 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3654040	journal	October 2011
Proton trajectories and electric fields in a laser-accelerated focused proton beam Foord, M. E.; Bartal, T.; Bellei, C. Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 19, Issue 5 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3700181	journal	May 2012
Generation of high-energy (>15 MeV) neutrons using short pulse high intensity lasers Petrov, G. M.; Higginson, D. P.; Davis, J. Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 19, Issue 9 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4751460	journal	September 2012
On the origin of super-hot electrons from intense laser interactions with solid targets having moderate scale length preformed plasmas Krygier, A. G.; Schumacher, D. W.; Freeman, R. R. Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 21, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4866587	journal	February 2014
Beyond the ponderomotive limit: Direct laser acceleration of relativistic electrons in sub-critical plasmas Arefiev, A. V.; Khudik, V. N.; Robinson, A. P. L. Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 23, Issue 5 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4946024	journal	April 2016
Fast ion acceleration in a foil plasma heated by a multi-picosecond high intensity laser Iwata, Natsumi; Mima, Kunioki; Sentoku, Yasuhiko Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 24, Issue 7 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4990703	journal	July 2017
A study of picosecond laser–solid interactions up to 10 ¹⁹ W cm ⁻² Beg, F. N.; Bell, A. R.; Dangor, A. E. Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 4, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.872103	journal	February 1997
A comparison of three-dimensional multimode hydrodynamic instability growth on various National Ignition Facility capsule designs with HYDRA simulations Marinak, M. M.; Haan, S. W.; Dittrich, T. R. Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 5, Issue 4 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.872643	journal	April 1998
Hot electron production and heating by hot electrons in fast ignitor research Key, M. H.; Cable, M. D.; Cowan, T. E. Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 5, Issue 5 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.872867	journal	May 1998
Particle acceleration in relativistic laser channels Pukhov, A.; Sheng, Z. -M.; Meyer-ter-Vehn, J. Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 6, Issue 7 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.873242	journal	July 1999
Studies of ultra-intense laser plasma interactions for fast ignition Tanaka, K. A.; Kodama, R.; Fujita, H. Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 7, Issue 5 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.874023	journal	May 2000
Stopping and scattering of relativistic electron beams in dense plasmas and requirements for fast ignition Atzeni, S.; Schiavi, A.; Davies, J. R. Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion, Vol. 51, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1088/0741-3335/51/1/015016	journal	December 2008
Modelling the effect of laser focal spot size on sheath- accelerated protons in intense laser–foil interactions Brenner, C. M.; McKenna, P.; Neely, D. Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion, Vol. 56, Issue 8 https://doi.org/10.1088/0741-3335/56/8/084003	journal	July 2014
Investigation of laser pulse length and pre-plasma scale length impact on hot electron generation on OMEGA-EP Peebles, J.; Wei, M. S.; Arefiev, A. V. New Journal of Physics, Vol. 19, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1088/1367-2630/aa5a21	journal	February 2017
Progress on converting a NIF quad to eight, petawatt beams for advanced radiography Crane, J. K.; Tietbohl, G.; Arnold, P. Journal of Physics: Conference Series, Vol. 244, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/244/3/032003	journal	August 2010
Numerical modeling of fast electron generation in the presence of preformed plasma in laser-matter interaction at relativistic intensities Paradkar, B. S.; Wei, M. S.; Yabuuchi, T. Physical Review E, Vol. 83, Issue 4 https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.83.046401	journal	April 2011
Ultrafast Melting of Carbon Induced by Intense Proton Beams Pelka, A.; Gregori, G.; Gericke, D. O. Physical Review Letters, Vol. 105, Issue 26 https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.105.265701	journal	December 2010
Interaction Physics of Multipicosecond Petawatt Laser Pulses with Overdense Plasma Kemp, A. J.; Divol, L. Physical Review Letters, Vol. 109, Issue 19 https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.109.195005	journal	November 2012
Electron-Ion Equilibration in Ultrafast Heated Graphite White, T. G.; Hartley, N. J.; Borm, B. Physical Review Letters, Vol. 112, Issue 14 https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.112.145005	journal	April 2014
Generation of Superponderomotive Electrons in Multipicosecond Interactions of Kilojoule Laser Beams with Solid-Density Plasmas Sorokovikova, A.; Arefiev, A. V.; McGuffey, C. Physical Review Letters, Vol. 116, Issue 15 https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.116.155001	journal	April 2016
Absorption of ultra-intense laser pulses Wilks, S. C.; Kruer, W. L.; Tabak, M. Physical Review Letters, Vol. 69, Issue 9 https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.69.1383	journal	August 1992
Plasma Ion Emission from High Intensity Picosecond Laser Pulse Interactions with Solid Targets Fews, A. P.; Norreys, P. A.; Beg, F. N. Physical Review Letters, Vol. 73, Issue 13 https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.73.1801	journal	September 1994
Experimental Measurements of Hot Electrons Generated by Ultraintense ( > 10 19 W / cm 2 ) Laser-Plasma Interactions on Solid-Density Targets Wharton, K. B.; Hatchett, S. P.; Wilks, S. C. Physical Review Letters, Vol. 81, Issue 4 https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.81.822	journal	July 1998
Intense High-Energy Proton Beams from Petawatt-Laser Irradiation of Solids Snavely, R. A.; Key, M. H.; Hatchett, S. P. Physical Review Letters, Vol. 85, Issue 14 https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.85.2945	journal	October 2000
Plasma Expansion into a Vacuum Mora, P. Physical Review Letters, Vol. 90, Issue 18 https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.90.185002	journal	May 2003
Isochoric Heating of Solid-Density Matter with an Ultrafast Proton Beam Patel, P.; Mackinnon, A.; Key, M. Physical Review Letters, Vol. 91, Issue 12 https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.91.125004	journal	September 2003
Overview: Development of the National Ignition Facility and the Transition to a User Facility for the Ignition Campaign and High Energy Density Scientific Research Moses, E. I.; Lindl, J. D.; Spaeth, M. L. Fusion Science and Technology, Vol. 69, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.13182/FST15-128	journal	February 2016
Introducing the Fission-Fusion Reaction Process: Using a Laser-Accelerated Th Beam to produce Neutron-Rich Nuclei towards the N=126 Waiting Point of the r Process Habs, D.; Thirolf, P. G.; Gross, M. arXiv https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.1007.1251	text	January 2010
On The Origin of Super-Hot Electrons from Intense Laser Interactions with Solid Targets having Moderate Scale Length Preformed Plasmas Krygier, A. G.; Schumacher, D. W.; Freeman, R. R. arXiv https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.1311.0910	text	January 2013
Beyond the ponderomotive limit: direct laser acceleration of relativistic electrons in sub-critical plasmas Arefiev, A. V.; Khudik, V. N.; Robinson, A. P. L. arXiv https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.1602.08758	text	January 2016

Cited By (5)

First demonstration of ARC-accelerated proton beams at the National Ignition Facility Mariscal, D.; Ma, T.; Wilks, S. C. Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 26, Issue 4 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5085787	journal	April 2019
Plasma expansion accompanying superthermal electrons in over-picosecond relativistic laser-foil interactions Iwata, Natsumi; Sentoku, Yasuhiko; Sano, Takayoshi Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion, Vol. 62, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6587/ab4d02	journal	October 2019
Proton beam emittance growth in multipicosecond laser-solid interactions Campbell, Paul T.; Canning, D.; Hussein, A. E. New Journal of Physics, Vol. 21, Issue 10 https://doi.org/10.1088/1367-2630/ab4721	journal	October 2019
High-angle deflection of the energetic electrons by a voluminous magnetic structure in near-normal intense laser-plasma interactions Peebles, J.; Arefiev, A. V.; Zhang, S. Physical Review E, Vol. 98, Issue 5 https://doi.org/10.1103/physreve.98.053202	journal	November 2018
High-angle Deflection of the Energetic Electrons by a Voluminous Magnetic Structure in Near-normal Intense Laser-plasma Interactions Peebles, J.; Arefiev, A. V.; Zhang, S. arXiv https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.1810.02398	text	January 2018

Similar Records

Scaling of laser-driven electron and proton acceleration as a function of laser pulse duration, energy, and intensity in the multi-picosecond regime

Dataset · Thu Mar 03 23:00:00 EST 2022 · OSTI ID:1887790

Scaling of laser-driven electron and proton acceleration as a function of laser pulse duration, energy, and intensity in the multi-picosecond regime

Journal Article · Wed Jan 13 19:00:00 EST 2021 · Physics of Plasmas · OSTI ID:1811744

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
accelerated beams
computational models
electron density
electron sources
laser plasma interactions
plasma expansion
plasmas

Computational modeling of proton acceleration with multi-picosecond and high energy, kilojoule, lasers

Citation Formats

References (49)

Cited By (5)

Similar Records

Related Subjects