Laser-driven ion acceleration via target normal sheath acceleration in the relativistic transparency regime
Abstract
We present an experimental study investigating laser-driven proton acceleration via target normal sheath acceleration (TNSA) over a target thickness range spanning the typical TNSA-dominant regime (~1 μm) down to below the onset of relativistic laser-transparency (<40 nm). This is done with a single target material in the form of freely adjustable films of liquid crystals along with high contrast (via plasmamirror) laser interaction (~2.65 J, 30 fs, I > 1 ´ 1021Wcm-2). Thickness dependent maximum proton energies scale well with TNSA models down to the thinnest targets, while those under ~40 nmindicate the influence of relativistic transparency on TNSA, observed via differences in light transmission, maximum proton energy, and proton beam spatial profile. Oblique laser incidence (45°) allowed the fielding of numerous diagnostics to determine the interaction quality and details: ion energy and spatial distribution was measured along the laser axis and both front and rear target normal directions; these along with reflected and transmitted light measurements on-shot verify TNSA as dominant during high contrast interaction, even for ultra-thin targets. Additionally, 3D particle-incell simulations qualitatively support the experimental observations of target-normal-directed proton acceleration from ultra-thin films.
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); The Ohio State Univ., Columbus, OH (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA); German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1437769
- Alternate Identifier(s):
- OSTI ID: 1430977; OSTI ID: 1515025
- Report Number(s):
- LLNL-JRNL-733302
Journal ID: ISSN 1367-2630
- Grant/Contract Number:
- NA0003107; AC52-07NA27344
- Resource Type:
- Published Article
- Journal Name:
- New Journal of Physics
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Name: New Journal of Physics Journal Volume: 20 Journal Issue: 1; Journal ID: ISSN 1367-2630
- Publisher:
- IOP Publishing
- Country of Publication:
- United Kingdom
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 42 ENGINEERING; 70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION
Citation Formats
Poole, P. L., Obst, L., Cochran, G. E., Metzkes, J., Schlenvoigt, H-P, Prencipe, I., Kluge, T., Cowan, T., Schramm, U., Schumacher, D. W., and Zeil, K. Laser-driven ion acceleration via target normal sheath acceleration in the relativistic transparency regime. United Kingdom: N. p., 2018.
Web. doi:10.1088/1367-2630/aa9d47.
Poole, P. L., Obst, L., Cochran, G. E., Metzkes, J., Schlenvoigt, H-P, Prencipe, I., Kluge, T., Cowan, T., Schramm, U., Schumacher, D. W., & Zeil, K. Laser-driven ion acceleration via target normal sheath acceleration in the relativistic transparency regime. United Kingdom. https://doi.org/10.1088/1367-2630/aa9d47
Poole, P. L., Obst, L., Cochran, G. E., Metzkes, J., Schlenvoigt, H-P, Prencipe, I., Kluge, T., Cowan, T., Schramm, U., Schumacher, D. W., and Zeil, K. Mon .
"Laser-driven ion acceleration via target normal sheath acceleration in the relativistic transparency regime". United Kingdom. https://doi.org/10.1088/1367-2630/aa9d47.
@article{osti_1437769,
title = {Laser-driven ion acceleration via target normal sheath acceleration in the relativistic transparency regime},
author = {Poole, P. L. and Obst, L. and Cochran, G. E. and Metzkes, J. and Schlenvoigt, H-P and Prencipe, I. and Kluge, T. and Cowan, T. and Schramm, U. and Schumacher, D. W. and Zeil, K.},
abstractNote = {We present an experimental study investigating laser-driven proton acceleration via target normal sheath acceleration (TNSA) over a target thickness range spanning the typical TNSA-dominant regime (~1 μm) down to below the onset of relativistic laser-transparency (<40 nm). This is done with a single target material in the form of freely adjustable films of liquid crystals along with high contrast (via plasmamirror) laser interaction (~2.65 J, 30 fs, I > 1 ´ 1021Wcm-2). Thickness dependent maximum proton energies scale well with TNSA models down to the thinnest targets, while those under ~40 nmindicate the influence of relativistic transparency on TNSA, observed via differences in light transmission, maximum proton energy, and proton beam spatial profile. Oblique laser incidence (45°) allowed the fielding of numerous diagnostics to determine the interaction quality and details: ion energy and spatial distribution was measured along the laser axis and both front and rear target normal directions; these along with reflected and transmitted light measurements on-shot verify TNSA as dominant during high contrast interaction, even for ultra-thin targets. Additionally, 3D particle-incell simulations qualitatively support the experimental observations of target-normal-directed proton acceleration from ultra-thin films.},
doi = {10.1088/1367-2630/aa9d47},
journal = {New Journal of Physics},
number = 1,
volume = 20,
place = {United Kingdom},
year = {2018},
month = {1}
}
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https://doi.org/10.1088/1367-2630/aa9d47
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Cited by: 5 works
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