APS Logo

A pulse length and intensity study of proton generation from microtube foil targets

ORAL

Abstract

The interaction of an intense laser with a solid foil target can drive ~TV/m electric fields, accelerating ions to MeV energies. Simulations and experimental data [1,2] show that the ion energies and numbers can increase using structured targets. In this study, we experimentally observe that structured targets can dramatically enhance proton acceleration in the target normal sheath acceleration (TNSA) regime. At the Texas Petawatt Laser facility, we compared proton acceleration from a 1 µm Ag flat foil, to a fixed microtube structure 3D printed on the front side of the same foil type. A pulse length (140 – 500 fs) and intensity ( [6 – 20] ×1020 W/cm2)  study found an optimum laser configuration (140 fs, 6×1020 W/cm2), in which microtube targets increase the proton cutoff energy by ~2× and the energetic proton yield (>1.5 MeV) by ~3×. Experimental results are compared with 2D simulations and will be presented at the meeting.

References:

[1] L. L. Ji, et al. Scientific Reports, Scientific reports 6.1 (2016): 1-7.

[2] M. Bailly-Grandvaux, et al. Physical Review E 102.2 (2020): 021201.

–

Presenters

  • Joseph Strehlow

    University of California, San Diego

Authors

  • Joseph Strehlow

    University of California, San Diego

  • Mathieu Bailly-Grandvaux

    University of California San Diego, University of California, San Diego

  • Simon Bolanos

    University of California, San Diego

  • Herbie L Smith

    University of Texas at Austin

  • Constantin Aniculaesei

    University of Texas at Austin

  • Hui Chen

    Lawrence Livermore Natl Lab, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, LLNL

  • Todd Ditmire

    University of Texas at Austin

  • Michael E Donovan

    University of Texas at Austin

  • Alex Haid

    General Atomics, GA

  • B M Hegelich

    University of Texas at Austin

  • Tammy Ma

    Lawrence Livermore Natl Lab, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

  • Harry S McLean

    Lawrence Livermore Natl Lab

  • Hernan J Quevedo

    University of Texas at Austin

  • Michael M Spinks

    University of Texas at Austin

  • Farhat N Beg

    University of California San Diego, University of California, San Diego, Center for Energy Research,University of California, San Diego, USA.