Ultrahigh-intensity laser-produced plasmas as a compact heavy ion injection source

Author

Krushelnick, K. ; Clark, E.L. ; Allott, R. ; Beg, F.N. ; Danson, C.N. ; Machacek, A. ; Malka, V. ; Najmudin, Z. ; Neely, D. ; Norreys, P.A. ; Salvati, M.R. ; Santala, M.I.K. ; Tatarakis, M. ; Watts, I. ; Zepf, M. ; Dangor, A.E.

Author_Institution

Imperial Coll. of Sci., Technol. & Med., London, UK

Volume

28

Issue

4

fYear

2000

Firstpage

1110

Lastpage

1155

Abstract

The possibility of using high-intensity laser-produced plasmas as a source of energetic ions for heavy ion accelerators is addressed. Experiments have shown that neon ions greater than 6 MeV can be produced from gas jet plasmas, and well-collimated proton beams greater than 20 MeV have been produced from high intensity laser solid interactions. The proton beams from the back of thin targets appear to be more collimated and reproducible than are high-energy ions generated in the ablated plasma at the front of the target and may be more suitable for ion injection applications. Lead ions have been produced at energies up to 430 MeV.

Keywords

ion accelerators; ion sources; plasma production by laser; proton beams; 20 MeV; 430 MeV; 6 MeV; ablated plasma; compact heavy ion injection source; energetic ions; gas jet plasmas; heavy ion accelerators; high intensity laser solid interactions; high-energy ions; high-intensity laser-produced plasmas; ion injection applications; lead ions; neon ions; target front; thin targets; ultrahigh-intensity laser-produced plasmas; well-collimated proton beams; Gas lasers; Ion accelerators; Ion sources; Laser fusion; Optical pulses; Plasma accelerators; Plasma measurements; Plasma sources; Solids; X-ray lasers;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Plasma Science, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0093-3813

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/27.893296

Filename

893296