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

Abstract

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.

Authors:
ORCiD logo [1];  [2];  [2];  [2];  [2];  [2];  [1]; ORCiD logo [1];  [2]
  1. Univ. of California, San Diego, CA (United States)
  2. Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA); USDOE Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) Program
OSTI Identifier:
1718995
Alternate Identifier(s):
OSTI ID: 1463935
Report Number(s):
LLNL-JRNL-750501
Journal ID: ISSN 1070-664X; 935732; TRN: US2204816
Grant/Contract Number:  
AC52-07NA27344; 17-ERD-039
Resource Type:
Journal Article: Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Physics of Plasmas
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 25; Journal Issue: 8; Journal ID: ISSN 1070-664X
Publisher:
American Institute of Physics (AIP)
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY; electron sources; accelerated beams; plasma expansion; electron density; plasmas; laser plasma interactions; computational models

Citation Formats

Kim, J., Kemp, A. J., Wilks, S. C., Kalantar, D. H., Kerr, S., Mariscal, D., Beg, F. N., McGuffey, C., and Ma, T. Computational modeling of proton acceleration with multi-picosecond and high energy, kilojoule, lasers. United States: N. p., 2018. Web. doi:10.1063/1.5040410.
Kim, J., Kemp, A. J., Wilks, S. C., Kalantar, D. H., Kerr, S., Mariscal, D., Beg, F. N., McGuffey, C., & Ma, T. Computational modeling of proton acceleration with multi-picosecond and high energy, kilojoule, lasers. United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5040410
Kim, J., Kemp, A. J., Wilks, S. C., Kalantar, D. H., Kerr, S., Mariscal, D., Beg, F. N., McGuffey, C., and Ma, T. 2018. "Computational modeling of proton acceleration with multi-picosecond and high energy, kilojoule, lasers". United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5040410. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1718995.
@article{osti_1718995,
title = {Computational modeling of proton acceleration with multi-picosecond and high energy, kilojoule, lasers},
author = {Kim, J. and Kemp, A. J. and Wilks, S. C. and Kalantar, D. H. and Kerr, S. and Mariscal, D. and Beg, F. N. and McGuffey, C. and Ma, T.},
abstractNote = {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.},
doi = {10.1063/1.5040410},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1718995}, journal = {Physics of Plasmas},
issn = {1070-664X},
number = 8,
volume = 25,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Aug 10 00:00:00 EDT 2018},
month = {Fri Aug 10 00:00:00 EDT 2018}
}

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Cited by: 17 works
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Works referenced in this record:

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Works referencing / citing this record:

Proton beam emittance growth in multipicosecond laser-solid interactions
journal, October 2019


Plasma expansion accompanying superthermal electrons in over-picosecond relativistic laser-foil interactions
journal, October 2019


First demonstration of ARC-accelerated proton beams at the National Ignition Facility
journal, April 2019