Forward Ion Acceleration in Thin Films Driven by a High-Intensity Laser

Journal Article · Mon May 01 00:00:00 EDT 2000 · Physical Review Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.84.4108· OSTI ID:20216332

Maksimchuk, A; Gu, S; Flippo, K; Umstadter, D; Bychenkov, V Yu

A collimated beam of fast protons, with energies as high as 1.5 MeV and total number of (greater-or-similar sign)10{sup 9} , confined in a cone angle of 40 degree sign {+-}10 degree sign is observed when a high-intensity high-contrast subpicosecond laser pulse is focused onto a thin foil target. The protons, which appear to originate from impurities on the front side of the target, are accelerated over a region extending into the target and exit out the back side in a direction normal to the target surface. Acceleration field gradients {approx}10 GeV/cm are inferred. The maximum proton energy can be explained by the charge-separation electrostatic-field acceleration due to ''vacuum heating.'' (c) 2000 The American Physical Society.

• OSTI ID: 20216332
• Journal Information: Physical Review Letters, Vol. 84, Issue 18; Other Information: PBD: 1 May 2000; ISSN 0031-9007
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
THIN FILMS
LASER RADIATION
PROTON BEAMS
PLASMA ACCELERATION
PLASMA EXPANSION
LASER-PRODUCED PLASMA
EXPERIMENTAL DATA