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Title: Efficient quasi-monoenergetic ion beams from laser-driven relativistic plasmas

Abstract

Here, table-top laser–plasma ion accelerators have many exciting applications, many of which require ion beams with simultaneous narrow energy spread and high conversion efficiency. However, achieving these requirements has been elusive. Here we report the experimental demonstration of laser-driven ion beams with narrow energy spread and energies up to 18 MeV per nucleon and ~5% conversion efficiency (that is 4 J out of 80-J laser). Using computer simulations we identify a self-organizing scheme that reduces the ion energy spread after the laser exits the plasma through persisting self-generated plasma electric (~1012 V m–1) and magnetic (~104 T) fields. These results contribute to the development of next generation compact accelerators suitable for many applications such as isochoric heating for ion-fast ignition and producing warm dense matter for basic science.

Authors:
 [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [2];  [3];  [1];  [1]
  1. Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
  2. Ludwig Maximilian Univ., Munich (Germany)
  3. Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
1236055
Alternate Identifier(s):
OSTI ID: 1248737
Report Number(s):
LA-UR-15-28789; LA-UR-15-22336
Journal ID: ISSN 2041-1723; ncomms10170; TRN: US1600649
Grant/Contract Number:  
AC52-06NA25396
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Nature Communications
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 6; Journal ID: ISSN 2041-1723
Publisher:
Nature Publishing Group
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY; laser; plasma; ion beam; 43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS; physical sciences; atomic and molecular physics; fluids and plasma physics

Citation Formats

Palaniyappan, Sasi, Huang, Chengkun, Gautier, Donald C., Hamilton, Christopher E., Santiago, Miguel A., Kreuzer, Christian, Sefkow, Adam B., Shah, Rahul C., and Fernández, Juan C. Efficient quasi-monoenergetic ion beams from laser-driven relativistic plasmas. United States: N. p., 2015. Web. doi:10.1038/ncomms10170.
Palaniyappan, Sasi, Huang, Chengkun, Gautier, Donald C., Hamilton, Christopher E., Santiago, Miguel A., Kreuzer, Christian, Sefkow, Adam B., Shah, Rahul C., & Fernández, Juan C. Efficient quasi-monoenergetic ion beams from laser-driven relativistic plasmas. United States. https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms10170
Palaniyappan, Sasi, Huang, Chengkun, Gautier, Donald C., Hamilton, Christopher E., Santiago, Miguel A., Kreuzer, Christian, Sefkow, Adam B., Shah, Rahul C., and Fernández, Juan C. Fri . "Efficient quasi-monoenergetic ion beams from laser-driven relativistic plasmas". United States. https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms10170. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1236055.
@article{osti_1236055,
title = {Efficient quasi-monoenergetic ion beams from laser-driven relativistic plasmas},
author = {Palaniyappan, Sasi and Huang, Chengkun and Gautier, Donald C. and Hamilton, Christopher E. and Santiago, Miguel A. and Kreuzer, Christian and Sefkow, Adam B. and Shah, Rahul C. and Fernández, Juan C.},
abstractNote = {Here, table-top laser–plasma ion accelerators have many exciting applications, many of which require ion beams with simultaneous narrow energy spread and high conversion efficiency. However, achieving these requirements has been elusive. Here we report the experimental demonstration of laser-driven ion beams with narrow energy spread and energies up to 18 MeV per nucleon and ~5% conversion efficiency (that is 4 J out of 80-J laser). Using computer simulations we identify a self-organizing scheme that reduces the ion energy spread after the laser exits the plasma through persisting self-generated plasma electric (~1012 V m–1) and magnetic (~104 T) fields. These results contribute to the development of next generation compact accelerators suitable for many applications such as isochoric heating for ion-fast ignition and producing warm dense matter for basic science.},
doi = {10.1038/ncomms10170},
journal = {Nature Communications},
number = ,
volume = 6,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Dec 11 00:00:00 EST 2015},
month = {Fri Dec 11 00:00:00 EST 2015}
}

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Cited by: 70 works
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