Laser-Accelerated Protons with Energy-Dependent Beam Direction

Journal Article · Fri Oct 21 04:00:00 EDT 2005 · Physical Review Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.95.175002· OSTI ID:20699475

Lindau, F; Lundh, O; Persson, A; Osvay, K; Wahlstroem, C -G ^[1]; McKenna, P ^[2]; Batani, D ^[3]

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1. Department of Physics, Lund Institute of Technology, P.O. Box 118, S-22100 Lund (Sweden)
2. Department of Physics, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow G4 0NG (United Kingdom)
3. Dipartimento di Fisica 'G. Occhialini', Universita di Milano Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 3, 20126 Milan (Italy)

The spatial distribution of protons, accelerated by intense femtosecond laser pulses interacting with thin target foils under oblique irradiation are investigated. Under certain conditions, the proton beams are directed away from the target normal. This deviation is towards the laser forward direction, with an angle that increases with the level and duration of the amplified spontaneous emission pedestal before the main laser pulse. In addition, for a given laser pulse, this beam deviation increases with proton energy. The observations are discussed in terms of different electron acceleration mechanisms and target normal sheath acceleration, in combination with a laser-controllable shock wave locally deforming the target rear surface.

• OSTI ID: 20699475
• Journal Information: Physical Review Letters, Journal Name: Physical Review Letters Journal Issue: 17 Vol. 95; ISSN 0031-9007; ISSN PRLTAO
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ACCELERATION
ELECTRONS
ENERGY DEPENDENCE
FOILS
IRRADIATION
LASERS
PLASMA PRODUCTION
PROTON BEAMS
PROTONS
PULSES
SHOCK WAVES
SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION