Year: 2018
Type: article
Abstract: Often, the interpretation of experiments concerning the manipulation of the energy distribution of laser-accelerated ion bunches is complicated by the multitude of competing dynamic processes simultaneously contributing to recorded ion signals. Here we demonstrate experimentally the acceleration of a clean proton bunch. This was achieved with a microscopic and three-dimensionally confined near critical density plasma, which evolves from a 1 µm diameter plastic sphere, which is levitated and positioned with micrometer precision in the focus of a Petawatt laser pulse. The emitted proton bunch is reproducibly observed with central energies between 20 and 40 MeV and narrow energy spread (down to 25%) showing almost no low-energetic background. Together with three-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations we track the complete acceleration process, evidencing the transition from organized acceleration to Coulomb repulsion. This reveals limitations of current high power lasers and viable paths to optimize laser-driven ion sources.
Source: Nature Communications
Language: English
Subfield: Nuclear and High Energy Physics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $6,990
Funders: U.S. Department of Energy, Nvidia, EUROfusion, European Commission, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung, International Max Planck Research School for Advanced Methods in Process and Systems Engineering, Hanns-Seidel-Stiftung, Office of Science, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Awards: G121915436, G1645119126, Verbundprojekt 05P2015 - ELI-NP: Entwicklungsarbeiten für hochdichte laserbeschleunigte Strahlen schwerer Ionen zur Erzeugung extrem neutronenreicher Isotope bei ELI-Nuclear Physics mittels des neuen 'Fission-Fusion'-Mechanismus, G1985836844, G203625172, Implementation of activities described in the Roadmap to Fusion during Horizon 2020 through a Joint programme of the members of the EUROfusion consortium, G2988778103, G434337789, G4423657506, G6139676266, European Cluster of Advanced Laser Light Sources, G675320460, G8269158468, G829439530, G8906985441
OpenAlex ID: W2806433815