ENERGETIC PROTON ACCELERATION BY ULTRAINTENSE LASER PULSES IN INHOMOGENEOUS PLASMA TARGETS

2007 ◽  
Vol 21 (03n04) ◽  
pp. 642-646 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. ABUDUREXITI ◽  
Y. MIKADO ◽  
T. OKADA
Keyword(s):  
Laser Pulse ◽  
Inhomogeneous Plasma ◽  
Laser Pulses ◽  
Proton Acceleration ◽  
Particle In Cell ◽  
Target Plasma ◽  
Plasma Target ◽  
Experimental Process ◽  
Foil Target ◽  
Proton Bunch

Particle-in-Cell (PIC) simulations of fast particles produced by a short laser pulse with duration of 40 fs and an intensity of 1020W/cm2 interacting with a foil target are performed. The experimental process is numerically simulated by considering a triangular concave target illuminated by an ultraintense laser. We have demonstrated increased acceleration and higher proton energies for triangular concave targets. We also determined the optimum target plasma conditions for maximum proton acceleration. The results indicated that a change in the plasma target shape directly affects the degree of contraction accelerated proton bunch.

scholarly journals High quality GeV proton beams from a density-modulated foil target

2009 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 611-617 ◽  
Author(s):  
T.P. Yu ◽  
M. Chen ◽  
A. Pukhov
Keyword(s):  
Laser Intensity ◽  
Laser Pulses ◽  
Two Dimensional ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Proton Acceleration ◽  
Circularly Polarized ◽  
Particle In Cell ◽  
Efficient Energy ◽  
Peak Energy ◽  
Foil Target

AbstractWe study proton acceleration from a foil target with a transversely varying density using multi-dimensional Particle-in-Cell (PIC) simulations. In order to reduce electron heating and deformation of the target, circularly polarized Gaussian laser pulses at intensities on the order of 1022 Wcm−2 are used. It is shown that when the target density distribution fits that of the laser intensity profile, protons accelerated from the center part of the target have quasi-monoenergetic spectra and are well collimated. In our two-dimensional PIC simulations, the final peak energy can be up to 1.4 GeV with the full-width of half maximum divergence cone of less than 4°. We observe highly efficient energy conversion from the laser to the protons in the simulations.

scholarly journals Laser-driven proton acceleration from ultrathin foils with nanoholes

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Giada Cantono ◽  
Alexander Permogorov ◽  
Julien Ferri ◽  
Evgeniya Smetanina ◽  
Alexandre Dmitriev ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ultrashort Laser Pulse ◽  
Laser Pulses ◽  
Maximum Energy ◽  
Power Laser ◽  
Proton Acceleration ◽  
Particle In Cell ◽  
Target Plasma ◽  
Ultrashort Laser ◽  
Nanometric Size ◽  
Scale Length

AbstractStructured solid targets are widely investigated to increase the energy absorption of high-power laser pulses so as to achieve efficient ion acceleration. Here we report the first experimental study of the maximum energy of proton beams accelerated from sub-micrometric foils perforated with holes of nanometric size. By showing the lack of energy enhancement in comparison to standard flat foils, our results suggest that the high contrast routinely achieved with a double plasma mirror does not prevent damaging of the nanostructures prior to the main interaction. Particle-in-cell simulations support that even a short scale length plasma, formed in the last hundreds of femtoseconds before the peak of an ultrashort laser pulse, fills the holes and hinders enhanced electron heating. Our findings reinforce the need for improved laser contrast, as well as for accurate control and diagnostics of on-target plasma formation.

scholarly journals Influence of laser polarization on collective electron dynamics in ultraintense laser–foil interactions

2016 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruno Gonzalez-Izquierdo ◽  
Ross J. Gray ◽  
Martin King ◽  
Robbie Wilson ◽  
Rachel J. Dance ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Electron Beam ◽  
Laser Pulse ◽  
Laser Light ◽  
Major Axis ◽  
Target Thickness ◽  
Laser Polarization ◽  
Particle In Cell ◽  
Collective Response ◽  
Polarization Axis ◽  
Foil Target

The collective response of electrons in an ultrathin foil target irradiated by an ultraintense ( ${\sim}6\times 10^{20}~\text{W}~\text{cm}^{-2}$ ) laser pulse is investigated experimentally and via 3D particle-in-cell simulations. It is shown that if the target is sufficiently thin that the laser induces significant radiation pressure, but not thin enough to become relativistically transparent to the laser light, the resulting relativistic electron beam is elliptical, with the major axis of the ellipse directed along the laser polarization axis. When the target thickness is decreased such that it becomes relativistically transparent early in the interaction with the laser pulse, diffraction of the transmitted laser light occurs through a so called ‘relativistic plasma aperture’, inducing structure in the spatial-intensity profile of the beam of energetic electrons. It is shown that the electron beam profile can be modified by variation of the target thickness and degree of ellipticity in the laser polarization.

Towards Sub-TeV electron beams driven by ultra-short, ultra-intense laser pulses

2012 ◽  
Vol 78 (4) ◽  
pp. 461-468 ◽  
Author(s):  
WEI-MIN WANG ◽  
ZHENG-MING SHENG ◽  
SHIGEO KAWATA ◽  
CHUN-YANG ZHENG ◽  
YU-TONG LI ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Laser Intensity ◽  
Electron Beams ◽  
Energetic Electron ◽  
Thin Foil ◽  
Laser Pulses ◽  
Intense Laser ◽  
Particle In Cell ◽  
Intense Laser Pulses ◽  
Laser Focus ◽  
Foil Target

AbstractEnergetic electron beam generation from a thin foil target by the ponderomotive force of an ultra-intense circularly polarized laser pulse is investigated. Two-dimensional particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations show that laser pulses with intensity of 1022–1023 Wcm−2 generate about 1–10 GeV electron beams, in agreement with the prediction of one-dimensional theory. When the laser intensity is at 1024–1025 Wcm−2, the beam energy obtained from PIC simulations is lower than the values predicted by the theory. The radiation damping effect is considered, which is found to become important for the laser intensity higher than 1025 Wcm−2. The effect of laser focus positions is also discussed.

Wakefield stimulated terahertz radiation from a plasma grating

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Götz Lehmann ◽  
Karl Heinz Spatschek
Keyword(s):  
Laser Pulse ◽  
Plasma Frequency ◽  
Laser Pulses ◽  
Short Laser Pulse ◽  
Wave Radiation ◽  
Similar Frequency ◽  
Emission Process ◽  
Particle In Cell ◽  
Volume Emission ◽  
Electromagnetic Instability

Abstract When a short laser pulse propagates in a corrugated plasma, its wakefield interacts with the density and electric field ripples of the plasma. In the present paper, the modulation of the plasma originates from two counter-propagating long laser pulses, i.e. the corrugated plasma can be as- sumed as a so called plasma grating. PIC (particle in cell) simulations show electromagnetic wave radiation at a frequency just above the plasma frequency when the wakefield interacts with the grating. An electromagnetic instability is proposed as the reason for the emission process. The electrostatic driver of the electromagnetic instability is the beat of wake and grating. That beat mode possess large wavenumber (originating from the small grating wavelength) and small fre- quency (of the order of the plasma frequency) when one concentrates on small ratios of the plasma modulation length to the wavelength of the wakefield. The latter situation occurs when the long laser pulses (which generate the grating) as well as the short laser pulse (which drives the wakefield) have similar frequency ω0 ≫ ωpe where ωpe is the plasma frequency. The coherent volume emission process lasts for a while. It is finally superseded by terahertz transition radiation at the boundaries of the original grating.

scholarly journals Ion motion effects on the generation of short-cycle relativistic laser pulses during radiation pressure acceleration

2014 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. P. Wang ◽  
X. M. Zhang ◽  
X. F. Wang ◽  
X. Y. Zhao ◽  
J. C. Xu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Laser Pulse ◽  
Radiation Pressure ◽  
Analytical Modeling ◽  
Laser Pulses ◽  
Short Cycle ◽  
Ion Motion ◽  
Particle In Cell ◽  
Rear Part ◽  
Fs Laser ◽  
Bubble Regime

AbstractThe effects of ion motion on the generation of short-cycle relativistic laser pulses during radiation pressure acceleration are investigated by analytical modeling and particle-in-cell simulations. Studies show that the rear part of the transmitted pulse modulated by ion motion is sharper compared with the case of the electron shutter only. In this study, the ions further modulate the short-cycle pulses transmitted. A 3.9 fs laser pulse with an intensity of $1.33\times 10^{21}\ {\rm W}\ {\rm cm}^{-2}$ is generated by properly controlling the motions of the electron and ion in the simulations. The short-cycle laser pulse source proposed can be applied in the generation of single attosecond pulses and electron acceleration in a small bubble regime.

Efficient generation of proton bunches by intense laser pulse with a double-slice-foil target

2012 ◽  
Vol 78 (4) ◽  
pp. 491-496
Author(s):  
JUN ZHENG ◽  
ZHENG-MING SHENG ◽  
JIN-LU LIU ◽  
WEI-MIN ZHOU ◽  
HAN XU ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Double Layer ◽  
Laser Pulses ◽  
Intense Laser ◽  
Particle In Cell ◽  
Intense Laser Pulses ◽  
Proton Beam Energy ◽  
Direct Laser ◽  
Laser Acceleration ◽  
Foil Target ◽  
Target Design

AbstractA double-slice-foil target is proposed for the generation of quasi-monoenergetic proton bunches by intense laser pulses. In this new target structure, two symmetrical solid slices are adjoined obliquely to the front side of a plane double-layer target. Two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations show that a large number of hot electrons are pulled out from solid slices and accelerated forward by direct laser acceleration, which lead to significant enhancement of the sheath field and the produced proton beam energy as compared with the normal plane double-layer target and some other modified targets. It appears that well-collimated proton bunches with energy larger than 200 MeV can be produced at the focused laser intensity of about 1021W/cm2 with the proposed target design.

scholarly journals Wakefield generation and electron acceleration by intense super-Gaussian laser pulses propagating in plasma

2013 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 583-588 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pallavi Jha ◽  
Akanksha Saroch ◽  
Rohit Kumar Mishra
Keyword(s):  
Laser Pulse ◽  
Laser Pulses ◽  
Gaussian Pulse ◽  
Simulation Studies ◽  
One Dimensional ◽  
Particle In Cell ◽  
Peak Energy ◽  
Test Electron ◽  
Linearly Polarized ◽  
Relativistic Regime

AbstractEvolution of longitudinal electrostatic wakefields, due to the propagation of a linearly polarized super-Gaussian laser pulse through homogeneous plasma has been presented via two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations. The wakes generated are compared with those generated by a Gaussian laser pulse in the relativistic regime. Further, one-dimensional numerical model has been used to validate the generated wakefields via simulation studies. Separatrix curves are plotted to study the trapping and energy gain of an externally injected test electron, due to the generated electrostatic wakefields. An enhancement in the peak energy of an externally injected electron accelerated by wakes generated by super-Gaussian pulse as compared to Gaussian pulse case has been observed.

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