Optimization of laser triggered proton source and new mechanisms of ion acceleration: From thin solid-dense foils to low-dense target

Ion acceleration by intense ultra-short laser pulses is attracted a lot of attention due to possible application of ion beams in inertial confinement fusion, nuclear physics, warm dense matter and astrophysics researches, radiography, shot-lived isotope production for medicine and hadron therapy. The recent trend in laser acceleration of ions is to use an advanced modern technology for target design to increase efficiency of the laser based ion sources. The effects of utilization of ultra-thin foils, micro-structured targets or targets with micro-structured front side surface, and low-dense targets on ion acceleration are widely studied elsewhere.