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Title: Target normal sheath acceleration with a large laser focal diameter

Journal Article · · Physics of Plasmas
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0020609· OSTI ID:1825487

In this work, the dependence of the laser-driven ion acceleration from thin titanium foils in the Target Normal Sheath Acceleration (TNSA) regime on target and laser parameters is explored using two dimensional particle-in-cell simulations. The oblique incidence (θL = 45°) and large focal spot size (w0 = 40μm) are chosen to take an advantage of quasi one-dimensional geometry of sheath fields and effective electron heating. This interaction setup also reveals low and achromatic angular divergence of a proton beam. It is shown that the hot electron temperature deviates from the ponderomotive scaling for short laser pulses and small pre-plasmas. This deviation is mainly due to the laser sweeping, as the short duration laser pulse each moment in time effectively heats only a fraction of a focal spot on the foil. This instantaneous partial heating results in an electron temperature deviation from the ponderomotive scaling and, thus, lower maximum proton energies than it could have been expected from the TNSA theory.

Research Organization:
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), High Energy Physics (HEP); USDOE Office of Science (SC), Fusion Energy Sciences (FES)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC02-05CH11231; 17-SC-20-SC
OSTI ID:
1825487
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 1737700
Journal Information:
Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 27, Issue 12; ISSN 1070-664X
Publisher:
American Institute of Physics (AIP)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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