Fast particle generation and energy transport in laser-solid interactions

Abstract

The generation of MeV electron and ion beams using lasers with intensities of up to 10 20 W cm Ϫ2 is reported. Intense ion beams with high energies ͑up to 40 MeV and to 3ϫ10 12 protons Ͼ5 MeV͒ are observed. The properties of these particle beams were measured in considerable detail and the results are compared to current theoretical explanations for their generation.

Tree-code simulations of proton acceleration from laser-irradiated wire targets

“…5 Experimental campaigns begun by the Livermore and Imperial College groups some four years ago resulted in two apparently irreconcilable pictures of proton acceleration. [6][7][8] The first interpretation, originally put forward by the Livermore team, 6,9 supposes that protons will be primarily accelerated from the rear surface of thin ͑1-100 m͒ foil targets by the space charge setup by the laser-generated hot electron cloud. This intuitive scenario, dubbed ''target normal sheath acceleration,'' or TNSA, has since been strongly supported by two-and three-dimensional particle-in-cell ͑PIC͒ simulations performed by various authors over the last three years.…”

A vision for laser induced particle acceleration and applications

“…It has also been proposed that the protons are accelerated via an electrostatic sheath formed on the front surface of the target and dragged through the target to produce a proton beam at the rear of the target [24]. Comparative reports on the ion acceleration schemes can be found in references [25,26].…”

An implicit Vlasov–Fokker–Planck code to model non-local electron transport in 2-D with magnetic fields

“…Magnetic field generation in plasmas [3][4][5] is another important phenomenon that is particularly relevant to laser-plasmas and astrophysical plasmas. This paper concerns modelling of these processes in the area of laser-plasma interactions, particularly in the contexts of the interaction of intense, short laser pulses with solid targets [6] and inertial fusion energy [7] (which uses laser or particle beams to compress and heat plasma to achieve fusion). Intense laser-solid interaction looks like a promising source of high energy, low emittance proton www.elsevier.com/locate/jcp Journal of Computational Physics 194 (2004) and ion beams, as well as high energy photons and neutrons [6].…”

“…This paper concerns modelling of these processes in the area of laser-plasma interactions, particularly in the contexts of the interaction of intense, short laser pulses with solid targets [6] and inertial fusion energy [7] (which uses laser or particle beams to compress and heat plasma to achieve fusion). Intense laser-solid interaction looks like a promising source of high energy, low emittance proton www.elsevier.com/locate/jcp Journal of Computational Physics 194 (2004) and ion beams, as well as high energy photons and neutrons [6]. Successful development of inertial fusion energy (IFE) power generation schemes and laser-plasma-based sources of energetic particles requires a proper understanding of energy transport including the effect of magnetic fields.…”