Study of proton acceleration at the target front surface in laser-solid interactions by neutron spectroscopy

Journal Article · Wed Mar 15 00:00:00 EST 2006 · Physics of Plasmas

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2183707· OSTI ID:20782534

Youssef, A; Kodama, R; Tampo, M ^[1]

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1. Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, 2-1 Suita, Osaka 565-0871 (Japan)

Proton acceleration inside solid LiF and CH-LiF targets irradiated by a 450-fs, 20-J, 1053-nm laser at an intensity of 3x10{sup 18} W/cm{sup 2} has been studied via neutron spectroscopy. Neutron spectra produced through the {sup 7}Li(p,n){sup 7}Be reaction that occurs between accelerated protons, at the front surface, and background {sup 7}Li ions inside the target. From measured and calculated spectra, by three-dimensional Monte Carlo code, the maximum energy, total number, and slope temperature of the accelerated protons are investigated. The study indicates that protons originate at the front surface and are accelerated to a maximum energy that is reasonably consistent with the calculated one due to the ponderomotive force.

• OSTI ID: 20782534
• Journal Information: Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 13, Issue 3; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.2183707; (c) 2006 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
46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
ACCELERATION
BERYLLIUM 7
IONS
IRRADIATION
LASER RADIATION
LITHIUM 7
LITHIUM FLUORIDES
MONTE CARLO METHOD
NEUTRON SPECTRA
NEUTRON SPECTROSCOPY
PONDEROMOTIVE FORCE
PROTON SOURCES
PROTONS
SOLIDS
SURFACES
THREE-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS