Ion acceleration from thin foil and extended plasma targets by slow electromagnetic wave and related ion-ion beam instability

Journal Article · Mon Oct 15 00:00:00 EDT 2012 · Physics of Plasmas

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4757981· OSTI ID:22068841

Bulanov, S V ^[1]; Esirkepov, T Zh; Kando, M ^[1]; Pegoraro, F ^[2]; Bulanov, S S ^[3]; Geddes, C G. R.; Schroeder, C B; Esarey, E ^[4]; Leemans, W P ^[3]

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1. QuBS, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Kizugawa, Kyoto, 619-0215 (Japan)
2. Physical Department, University of Pisa, Pisa 56127 (Italy)
3. University of California, Berkeley, California 94720 (United States)
4. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California, 94720 (United States)

When ions are accelerated by the radiation pressure of a laser pulse, their velocity cannot exceed the pulse group velocity which can be considerably smaller than the speed of light in vacuum. This is demonstrated in two cases corresponding to a thin foil target irradiated by high intensity laser light and to the hole boring produced in an extended plasma by the laser pulse. It is found that the beams of accelerated ions are unstable against Buneman-like and Weibel-like instabilities which results in the broadening of the ion energy spectrum.

• OSTI ID: 22068841
• Journal Information: Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 19, Issue 10; Other Information: (c) 2012 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 1070-664X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
ACCELERATION
FOILS
ION BEAMS
IONS
LASER RADIATION
LIGHT TRANSMISSION
PLASMA
PULSES
RADIATION PRESSURE
VISIBLE RADIATION
WAVE PROPAGATION