Acceleration of high charge-state target ions in high-intensity laser interactions with sub-micron targets

We have studied laser acceleration of ions from Si _3 N _4 and Al foils ranging in thickness from 1800 to 8 nm with particular interest in acceleration of ions from the bulk of the target. The study includes results of experiments conducted with the HERCULES laser with pulse duration 40 fs and inten...

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Main Authors: C McGuffey, A Raymond, T Batson, R Hua, G M Petrov, J Kim, C M Krauland, A Maksimchuk, A G R Thomas, V Yanovsky, K Krushelnick, F N Beg
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: IOP Publishing 2016-01-01
Series:New Journal of Physics
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1088/1367-2630/18/11/113032
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author C McGuffey
A Raymond
T Batson
R Hua
G M Petrov
J Kim
C M Krauland
A Maksimchuk
A G R Thomas
V Yanovsky
K Krushelnick
F N Beg
author_facet C McGuffey
A Raymond
T Batson
R Hua
G M Petrov
J Kim
C M Krauland
A Maksimchuk
A G R Thomas
V Yanovsky
K Krushelnick
F N Beg
author_sort C McGuffey
collection DOAJ
description We have studied laser acceleration of ions from Si _3 N _4 and Al foils ranging in thickness from 1800 to 8 nm with particular interest in acceleration of ions from the bulk of the target. The study includes results of experiments conducted with the HERCULES laser with pulse duration 40 fs and intensity 3 × 10 ^20 W cm ^−2 and corresponding two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations. When the target thickness was reduced the distribution of ion species heavier than protons transitioned from being dominated by carbon contaminant ions of low ionization states to being dominated by high ionization states of bulk ions (such as Si ^12+ ) and carbon. Targets in the range 50–150 nm yielded dramatically greater particle number and higher ion maximum energy for these high ionization states compared to thicker targets typifying the Target Normal Sheath Acceleration (TNSA) regime. The high charge states persisted for the thinnest targets, but the accelerated particle numbers decreased for targets 35 nm and thinner. This transition to an enhanced ion TNSA regime, which more efficiently generates ion beams from the bulk target material, is also seen in the simulations.
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spelling doaj.art-7bb066a27d64442dac3f240f862c0f102023-08-08T14:36:42ZengIOP PublishingNew Journal of Physics1367-26302016-01-01181111303210.1088/1367-2630/18/11/113032Acceleration of high charge-state target ions in high-intensity laser interactions with sub-micron targetsC McGuffey0A Raymond1T Batson2R Hua3G M Petrov4J Kim5C M Krauland6A Maksimchuk7A G R Thomas8V Yanovsky9K Krushelnick10F N Beg11Center for Energy Research, University of California , San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0417, USACenter for Ultrafast Optical Sciences, University of Michigan , Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USACenter for Ultrafast Optical Sciences, University of Michigan , Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USACenter for Energy Research, University of California , San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0417, USANaval Research Laboratory, Plasma Physics Division , 4555 Overlook Ave. SW, Washington, DC 20375, USACenter for Energy Research, University of California , San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0417, USACenter for Energy Research, University of California , San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0417, USACenter for Ultrafast Optical Sciences, University of Michigan , Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USACenter for Ultrafast Optical Sciences, University of Michigan , Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USACenter for Ultrafast Optical Sciences, University of Michigan , Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USACenter for Ultrafast Optical Sciences, University of Michigan , Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USACenter for Energy Research, University of California , San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0417, USAWe have studied laser acceleration of ions from Si _3 N _4 and Al foils ranging in thickness from 1800 to 8 nm with particular interest in acceleration of ions from the bulk of the target. The study includes results of experiments conducted with the HERCULES laser with pulse duration 40 fs and intensity 3 × 10 ^20 W cm ^−2 and corresponding two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations. When the target thickness was reduced the distribution of ion species heavier than protons transitioned from being dominated by carbon contaminant ions of low ionization states to being dominated by high ionization states of bulk ions (such as Si ^12+ ) and carbon. Targets in the range 50–150 nm yielded dramatically greater particle number and higher ion maximum energy for these high ionization states compared to thicker targets typifying the Target Normal Sheath Acceleration (TNSA) regime. The high charge states persisted for the thinnest targets, but the accelerated particle numbers decreased for targets 35 nm and thinner. This transition to an enhanced ion TNSA regime, which more efficiently generates ion beams from the bulk target material, is also seen in the simulations.https://doi.org/10.1088/1367-2630/18/11/113032ion accelerationintense laserultrathin laser targets
spellingShingle C McGuffey
A Raymond
T Batson
R Hua
G M Petrov
J Kim
C M Krauland
A Maksimchuk
A G R Thomas
V Yanovsky
K Krushelnick
F N Beg
Acceleration of high charge-state target ions in high-intensity laser interactions with sub-micron targets
New Journal of Physics
ion acceleration
intense laser
ultrathin laser targets
title Acceleration of high charge-state target ions in high-intensity laser interactions with sub-micron targets
title_full Acceleration of high charge-state target ions in high-intensity laser interactions with sub-micron targets
title_fullStr Acceleration of high charge-state target ions in high-intensity laser interactions with sub-micron targets
title_full_unstemmed Acceleration of high charge-state target ions in high-intensity laser interactions with sub-micron targets
title_short Acceleration of high charge-state target ions in high-intensity laser interactions with sub-micron targets
title_sort acceleration of high charge state target ions in high intensity laser interactions with sub micron targets
topic ion acceleration
intense laser
ultrathin laser targets
url https://doi.org/10.1088/1367-2630/18/11/113032
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