Near-100 MeV protons via a laser-driven transparency-enhanced hybrid acceleration scheme.

Autor: Higginson A; SUPA Department of Physics, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, G4 0NG, UK., Gray RJ; SUPA Department of Physics, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, G4 0NG, UK., King M; SUPA Department of Physics, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, G4 0NG, UK., Dance RJ; SUPA Department of Physics, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, G4 0NG, UK., Williamson SDR; SUPA Department of Physics, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, G4 0NG, UK., Butler NMH; SUPA Department of Physics, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, G4 0NG, UK., Wilson R; SUPA Department of Physics, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, G4 0NG, UK., Capdessus R; SUPA Department of Physics, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, G4 0NG, UK., Armstrong C; SUPA Department of Physics, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, G4 0NG, UK.; Central Laser Facility, STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Oxfordshire, OX11 0QX, UK., Green JS; Central Laser Facility, STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Oxfordshire, OX11 0QX, UK., Hawkes SJ; SUPA Department of Physics, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, G4 0NG, UK.; Central Laser Facility, STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Oxfordshire, OX11 0QX, UK., Martin P; Centre for Plasma Physics, School of Mathematics and Physics, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, BT7 1NN, UK., Wei WQ; Key Laboratory for Laser Plasmas and CICIFSA, School of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China., Mirfayzi SR; Centre for Plasma Physics, School of Mathematics and Physics, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, BT7 1NN, UK., Yuan XH; Key Laboratory for Laser Plasmas and CICIFSA, School of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China., Kar S; Central Laser Facility, STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Oxfordshire, OX11 0QX, UK.; Centre for Plasma Physics, School of Mathematics and Physics, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, BT7 1NN, UK., Borghesi M; Centre for Plasma Physics, School of Mathematics and Physics, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, BT7 1NN, UK., Clarke RJ; Central Laser Facility, STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Oxfordshire, OX11 0QX, UK., Neely D; SUPA Department of Physics, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, G4 0NG, UK.; Central Laser Facility, STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Oxfordshire, OX11 0QX, UK., McKenna P; SUPA Department of Physics, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, G4 0NG, UK. paul.mckenna@strath.ac.uk.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: Nature communications [Nat Commun] 2018 Feb 20; Vol. 9 (1), pp. 724. Date of Electronic Publication: 2018 Feb 20.
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-03063-9
Abstrakt: The range of potential applications of compact laser-plasma ion sources motivates the development of new acceleration schemes to increase achievable ion energies and conversion efficiencies. Whilst the evolving nature of laser-plasma interactions can limit the effectiveness of individual acceleration mechanisms, it can also enable the development of hybrid schemes, allowing additional degrees of control on the properties of the resulting ion beam. Here we report on an experimental demonstration of efficient proton acceleration to energies exceeding 94 MeV via a hybrid scheme of radiation pressure-sheath acceleration in an ultrathin foil irradiated by a linearly polarised laser pulse. This occurs via a double-peaked electrostatic field structure, which, at an optimum foil thickness, is significantly enhanced by relativistic transparency and an associated jet of super-thermal electrons. The range of parameters over which this hybrid scenario occurs is discussed and implications for ion acceleration driven by next-generation, multi-petawatt laser facilities are explored.
Databáze: MEDLINE