Ion Acceleration from Near-Critical-Density Plasmas via Magnetic Vortex Acceleration in 3D Particle-in-cell Simulations

ORAL

Abstract

We explored laser-driven ion acceleration via the Magnetic Vortex Acceleration scheme using 3D Warp+PICSAR and WarpX PIC simulation codes. In this scheme a high intensity and short pulse laser pulse propagates in near critical density plasma targets, making a channel in both electron and ion density. When the laser pulse exits the plasma, it establishes strong longitudinal electric fields that can accelerate the ions, which are pinched by the electrons in a thin filament along the laser propagation axis. We found that under the optimum conditions of the target thickness and density [1], the maximum ion energy in 3D is about 50% lower than that in 2D due to the smaller channel size in 3D. Particle tracking method is used to understand the acceleration process in more detail. [1] S. S. Bulanov, et al, Phys. Plasmas 17,043105(2010)

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Presenters

  • Jaehong Park

    Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA, Lawrence Berkeley Natl Lab, Berkeley, CA, USA, Lawrence Berkeley Natl Lab

Authors

  • Jaehong Park

    Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA, Lawrence Berkeley Natl Lab, Berkeley, CA, USA, Lawrence Berkeley Natl Lab

  • Stepan Bulanov

    Univ of California - Berkeley, Lawrence Berkeley Natl Lab, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

  • Jean-Luc Vay

    Lawrence Berkeley Natl Lab

  • Sven Steinke

    Lawrence Berkeley Natl Lab

  • Sven Steinke

    Lawrence Berkeley Natl Lab

  • Qing Ji

    Lawrence Berkeley Natl Lab

  • Cameron Guy Robinson Geddes

    Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, Lawrence Berkeley Natl Lab, LBNL

  • Carl B Schroeder

    Lawrence Berkeley Natl Lab, LBNL

  • Eric Esarey

    Lawrence Berkeley Natl Lab, LBNL

  • Thomas Schenkel

    Lawrence Berkeley Natl Lab

  • Wim Pieter Leemans

    Lawrence Berkeley Natl Lab, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, USA, Lawrence Berkeley Natl Lab, U.C. Berkeley, Lawrence Berkeley Natl Lab, Univ of California - Berkeley, LBNL, UC Berkeley