Laser-driven proton acceleration from ultrathin foils with nanoholes
Abstract Structured 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...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Nature Portfolio
2021-03-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-84264-z |
| _version_ | 1818400809460695040 |
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| author | Giada Cantono Alexander Permogorov Julien Ferri Evgeniya Smetanina Alexandre Dmitriev Anders Persson Tünde Fülöp Claes-Göran Wahlström |
| author_facet | Giada Cantono Alexander Permogorov Julien Ferri Evgeniya Smetanina Alexandre Dmitriev Anders Persson Tünde Fülöp Claes-Göran Wahlström |
| author_sort | Giada Cantono |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Structured 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. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-14T07:42:28Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-8a420eb249f5431f8c06f86ac19d62ad |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-14T07:42:28Z |
| publishDate | 2021-03-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-8a420eb249f5431f8c06f86ac19d62ad2022-12-21T23:10:59ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222021-03-0111111010.1038/s41598-021-84264-zLaser-driven proton acceleration from ultrathin foils with nanoholesGiada Cantono0Alexander Permogorov1Julien Ferri2Evgeniya Smetanina3Alexandre Dmitriev4Anders Persson5Tünde Fülöp6Claes-Göran Wahlström7Department of Physics, Lund UniversityDepartment of Physics, Lund UniversityDepartment of Physics, Chalmers University of TechnologyDepartment of Physics, University of GothenburgDepartment of Physics, University of GothenburgDepartment of Physics, Lund UniversityDepartment of Physics, Chalmers University of TechnologyDepartment of Physics, Lund UniversityAbstract Structured 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.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-84264-z |
| spellingShingle | Giada Cantono Alexander Permogorov Julien Ferri Evgeniya Smetanina Alexandre Dmitriev Anders Persson Tünde Fülöp Claes-Göran Wahlström Laser-driven proton acceleration from ultrathin foils with nanoholes Scientific Reports |
| title | Laser-driven proton acceleration from ultrathin foils with nanoholes |
| title_full | Laser-driven proton acceleration from ultrathin foils with nanoholes |
| title_fullStr | Laser-driven proton acceleration from ultrathin foils with nanoholes |
| title_full_unstemmed | Laser-driven proton acceleration from ultrathin foils with nanoholes |
| title_short | Laser-driven proton acceleration from ultrathin foils with nanoholes |
| title_sort | laser driven proton acceleration from ultrathin foils with nanoholes |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-84264-z |
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