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Experimental study of intense proton beam transport through plastic foam using 2-D hybrid-PIC simulations with a unique proton source model

ORAL

Abstract

Laser-accelerated proton beams have proven useful in many ways, including proton radiography and fast heating of solids to warm dense regimes. For applications requiring high current density, such as Fast Ignition Inertial Confinement Fusion, transport behaviors of the proton beam have not been well-studied. We report on an experimental study, done on the Omega EP laser, of intense (~109 A/cm2) proton beam transport through plastic foam targets (380 mg/cm3) of length 0.55 mm or 1.0 mm. Copper foils were placed on the foams’ rear faces, and a spherical crystal imager tuned to Cu-Kα photon energies revealed proton- and electron-induced emission images, showing minimal beam break-up at both depths. 2-D hybrid fluid-PIC simulations implementing a unique proton-energy-dependent beam divergence showed that the foam could be heated to temperatures of several keV, and good agreement was found between the experimental and simulated Cu-Kα emission profiles.

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Presenters

  • Krish A Bhutwala

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

Authors

  • Krish A Bhutwala

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

  • Christopher McGuffey

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

  • Wolfgang R Theobald

    University of Rochester, Laboratory for Laser Energetics, University of Rochester, Laboratory for Laser Energetics, U. of Rochester, Lab for Laser Energetics

  • Joohwan Kim

    University of California, San Diego

  • Adam Higginson

    University of California, San Diego, Colorado State University

  • Philip M Nilson

    Laboratory for Laser Energetics, U. of Rochester, Laboratory for Laser Energetics, University of Rochester, University of Rochester, Lab for Laser Energetics

  • Mingsheng Wei

    University of Rochester, Laboratory for Laser Energetics

  • Yuan Ping

    Lawrence Livermore Natl Lab, LLNL, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

  • Mark E Foord

    Lawrence Livermore Natl Lab

  • Harry S McLean

    Lawrence Livermore Natl Lab

  • Pravesh K Patel

    Lawrence Livermore Natl Lab

  • Markus Roth

    Technische Universitat Darmstadt

  • Farhat N Beg

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