Ion diagnostics for laser plasma experiments

For laser plasma diagnostic purposes, a specific Thomson spectrometer with a multi-pinhole array at the entrance aperture is proposed. The ion beam under investigation is thus divided into small beamlets and the obtained spectral image combines the recorded spectra of the ions, which are emitted under different angles of the source. This resembles a simultaneous measurement with many independent spectrometers. Thereby, the emission characteristic of the ion source can be reconstructed. The quantitative analysis of the ion emission spectra allows one to gain detailed information about the accelerating sheath field profile and dynamics.