Stable GeV Ion-Beam Acceleration from Thin Foils by Circularly Polarized Laser Pulses
- Center for Plasma Physics, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast BT7 1NN (United Kingdom)
A stable relativistic ion acceleration regime for thin foils irradiated by circularly polarized laser pulses is suggested. In this regime, the 'light-sail' stage of radiation pressure acceleration for ions is smoothly connected with the initial relativistic 'hole-boring' stage, and a defined relationship between laser intensity I{sub 0}, foil density n{sub 0}, and thickness l{sub 0} should be satisfied. For foils with a wide range of n{sub 0}, the required I{sub 0} and l{sub 0} for the regime are theoretically estimated and verified with the particle-in-cell code ILLUMINATION. It is shown for the first time by 2D simulations that high-density monoenergetic ion beams with energy above GeV/u and divergence of 10 deg. are produced by circularly polarized lasers at intensities of 10{sup 22} W/cm{sup 2}, which are within reach of current laser systems.0.
- OSTI ID:
- 21180361
- Journal Information:
- Physical Review Letters, Vol. 102, Issue 14; Other Information: DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.102.145002; (c) 2009 The American Physical Society; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0031-9007
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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