Proton jet formation with focused symmetric spatially chirped beams
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Three-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations are used to demonstrate the generation of highly collimated, dense proton jets from planar hydrogen targets using shaped, petawatt-class, laser pulses formed via simultaneous spatial and temporal focusing (SSTF). Simulations assume a 30 J, 30 fs laser pulse that is engineered with a radial spatial chirp and then focused into a conical space-time structure. An idealized conical structure that might be produced using a pair of circular diffraction gratings is first modeled and then compared to an approximate implementation using a multibeam combination of four 7.5 J pulses that are produced using conventional single-pass grating pairs. Tightly collimated, 5 µm diameter proton jets with peak energies up to 60 MeV are produced in both instances. Unlike target-shaping schemes that require precise manufacturing and alignment, this shaped-pulse approach can enable highrepetition rate, collimated proton beams using existing thin hydrogen sheet technology.
Source: Physical Review Research
DOI: 10.1103/z26d-ljfc
Authors: Eric C. Nelson, Kyle J. Charbonnet, Trevor Reutershan, Haytham H. Effarah, C. P. J. Barty
Institution: University of California, Irvine
Language: English
Subfield: Nuclear and High Energy Physics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,625
OpenAlex ID: W7108470994