Focussing Protons from a Kilojoule Laser for Intense Beam Heating using Proximal Target Structures
Abstract Proton beams driven by chirped pulse amplified lasers have multi-picosecond duration and can isochorically and volumetrically heat material samples, potentially providing an approach for creating samples of warm dense matter with conditions not present on Earth. Envisioned on a larger scale...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2020-06-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-65554-4 |
| _version_ | 1818402952043298816 |
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| author | C. McGuffey J. Kim M. S. Wei P. M. Nilson S. N. Chen J. Fuchs P. Fitzsimmons M. E. Foord D. Mariscal H. S. McLean P. K. Patel R. B. Stephens F. N. Beg |
| author_facet | C. McGuffey J. Kim M. S. Wei P. M. Nilson S. N. Chen J. Fuchs P. Fitzsimmons M. E. Foord D. Mariscal H. S. McLean P. K. Patel R. B. Stephens F. N. Beg |
| author_sort | C. McGuffey |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Proton beams driven by chirped pulse amplified lasers have multi-picosecond duration and can isochorically and volumetrically heat material samples, potentially providing an approach for creating samples of warm dense matter with conditions not present on Earth. Envisioned on a larger scale, they could heat fusion fuel to achieve ignition. We have shown in an experiment that a kilojoule-class, multi-picosecond short pulse laser is particularly effective for heating materials. The proton beam can be focussed via target design to achieve exceptionally high flux, important for the applications mentioned. The laser irradiated spherically curved diamond-like-carbon targets with intensity 4 × 1018 W/cm 2, producing proton beams with 3 MeV slope temperature. A Cu witness foil was positioned behind the curved target, and the gap between was either empty or spanned with a structure. With a structured target, the total emission of Cu Kα fluorescence was increased 18 fold and the emission profile was consistent with a tightly focussed beam. Transverse proton radiography probed the target with ps order temporal and 10 μm spatial resolution, revealing the fast-acting focussing electric field. Complementary particle-in-cell simulations show how the structures funnel protons to the tight focus. The beam of protons and neutralizing electrons induce the bright Kα emission observed and heat the Cu to 100 eV. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-14T08:16:32Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-bf4b28e936514d54ba9f5783abd8079e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-14T08:16:32Z |
| publishDate | 2020-06-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-bf4b28e936514d54ba9f5783abd8079e2022-12-21T23:09:55ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222020-06-0110111010.1038/s41598-020-65554-4Focussing Protons from a Kilojoule Laser for Intense Beam Heating using Proximal Target StructuresC. McGuffey0J. Kim1M. S. Wei2P. M. Nilson3S. N. Chen4J. Fuchs5P. Fitzsimmons6M. E. Foord7D. Mariscal8H. S. McLean9P. K. Patel10R. B. Stephens11F. N. Beg12Center for Energy Research, University of CaliforniaCenter for Energy Research, University of CaliforniaGeneral AtomicsLaboratory for Laser Energetics, University of RochesterLaboratoire pour l’Utilisation des Lasers Intenses - CNRS, CEA, UPMC Univ Paris 06: Sorbonne Université, Ecole Polytechnique, Institut Polytechnique de ParisLaboratoire pour l’Utilisation des Lasers Intenses - CNRS, CEA, UPMC Univ Paris 06: Sorbonne Université, Ecole Polytechnique, Institut Polytechnique de ParisGeneral AtomicsLawrence Livermore National LaboratoryCenter for Energy Research, University of CaliforniaLawrence Livermore National LaboratoryLawrence Livermore National LaboratoryGeneral AtomicsCenter for Energy Research, University of CaliforniaAbstract Proton beams driven by chirped pulse amplified lasers have multi-picosecond duration and can isochorically and volumetrically heat material samples, potentially providing an approach for creating samples of warm dense matter with conditions not present on Earth. Envisioned on a larger scale, they could heat fusion fuel to achieve ignition. We have shown in an experiment that a kilojoule-class, multi-picosecond short pulse laser is particularly effective for heating materials. The proton beam can be focussed via target design to achieve exceptionally high flux, important for the applications mentioned. The laser irradiated spherically curved diamond-like-carbon targets with intensity 4 × 1018 W/cm 2, producing proton beams with 3 MeV slope temperature. A Cu witness foil was positioned behind the curved target, and the gap between was either empty or spanned with a structure. With a structured target, the total emission of Cu Kα fluorescence was increased 18 fold and the emission profile was consistent with a tightly focussed beam. Transverse proton radiography probed the target with ps order temporal and 10 μm spatial resolution, revealing the fast-acting focussing electric field. Complementary particle-in-cell simulations show how the structures funnel protons to the tight focus. The beam of protons and neutralizing electrons induce the bright Kα emission observed and heat the Cu to 100 eV.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-65554-4 |
| spellingShingle | C. McGuffey J. Kim M. S. Wei P. M. Nilson S. N. Chen J. Fuchs P. Fitzsimmons M. E. Foord D. Mariscal H. S. McLean P. K. Patel R. B. Stephens F. N. Beg Focussing Protons from a Kilojoule Laser for Intense Beam Heating using Proximal Target Structures Scientific Reports |
| title | Focussing Protons from a Kilojoule Laser for Intense Beam Heating using Proximal Target Structures |
| title_full | Focussing Protons from a Kilojoule Laser for Intense Beam Heating using Proximal Target Structures |
| title_fullStr | Focussing Protons from a Kilojoule Laser for Intense Beam Heating using Proximal Target Structures |
| title_full_unstemmed | Focussing Protons from a Kilojoule Laser for Intense Beam Heating using Proximal Target Structures |
| title_short | Focussing Protons from a Kilojoule Laser for Intense Beam Heating using Proximal Target Structures |
| title_sort | focussing protons from a kilojoule laser for intense beam heating using proximal target structures |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-65554-4 |
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