Manipulation of the spatial distribution of laser-accelerated proton beams by varying the laser intensity distribution

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Aurand, B. and Senje, L. and Svensson, K. and Hansson, M. and Higginson, A. and Gonoskov, A. and Marklund, M. and Persson, A. and Lundh, O. and Neely, D. and McKenna, P. and Wahlström, C.-G. (2016) Manipulation of the spatial distribution of laser-accelerated proton beams by varying the laser intensity distribution. Physics of Plasmas, 23 (2). 023113. ISSN 1070-664X (https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4942032)

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Abstract

We report on a study of the spatial profile of proton beams produced through target normal sheath acceleration (TNSA) using at target foils and changing the laser intensity distribution on the target front surface. This is done by either defocusing a single laser pulse or by using a split-pulse setup and irradiating the target with two identical laser pulses with variable spatial separation. The resulting proton beam profile as well as the energy spectrum are recorded as functions of the focal spot size of the single laser pulse and of the separation between the two pulses. A shaping of the resulting proton beam profile, related to both an increase in ux of low-energy protons in the target normal direction and a decrease in their divergence, in one or two dimensions, is observed. The results are explained by simple modelling of rear surface sheath field expansion, ionization and projection of the resulting proton beam.

ORCID iDs

Aurand, B., Senje, L., Svensson, K., Hansson, M., Higginson, A. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2727-8075, Gonoskov, A., Marklund, M., Persson, A., Lundh, O., Neely, D., McKenna, P. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8061-7091 and Wahlström, C.-G.;
  • Item type:Article
    ID code:55407
    Dates:
    Date
    Event
    18 February 2016
    Published
    20 January 2016
    Accepted
    Subjects:Science > Physics
    Department:Faculty of Science > Physics
    Depositing user: Pure Administrator
    Date deposited:29 Jan 2016 14:35
    Last modified:11 Nov 2024 11:18
    Related URLs:
    URI:https://strathprints.strath.ac.uk/id/eprint/55407
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