Enhanced laser intensity and ion acceleration due to self-focusing in relativistically transparent ultrathin targets

Frazer, T. P. and Wilson, R. and King, M. and Butler, N. M. H. and Carroll, D. C. and Duff, M. J. and Higginson, A. and Jarrett, J. and Davidson, Z. E. and Armstrong, C. and Liu, H. and Neely, D. and Gray, R. J. and McKenna, P. (2020) Enhanced laser intensity and ion acceleration due to self-focusing in relativistically transparent ultrathin targets. Physical Review Research, 2. 042015. ISSN 2643-1564 (https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevResearch.2.042015)

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Abstract

Laser-driven proton acceleration from ultrathin foils is investigated experimentally using F/3 and F/1 focusing. Higher energies achieved with F/3 are shown via simulations to result from self-focusing of the laser light in expanding foils that become relativistically transparent, enhancing the intensity. The increase in proton energy is maximised for an optimum initial target thickness, and thus expansion profile, with no enhancement occurring for targets that remain opaque, or with F/1 focusing to close to the laser wavelength. The effect is shown to depend on the drive laser pulse duration.

ORCID iDs

Frazer, T. P., Wilson, R., King, M. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3370-6141, Butler, N. M. H. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3650-5230, Carroll, D. C., Duff, M. J. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0745-0157, Higginson, A. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2727-8075, Jarrett, J., Davidson, Z. E., Armstrong, C., Liu, H., Neely, D., Gray, R. J. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0610-9595 and McKenna, P. ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8061-7091;
  • Item type:Article
    ID code:73839
    Dates:
    Date
    Event
    19 October 2020
    Published
    7 September 2020
    Accepted
    Keywords:laser driven proton accelerator, ultrathin foils, pulse amplification, Physics, Physics and Astronomy(all)
    Subjects:Science > Physics
    Department:Faculty of Science > Physics
    Depositing user: Pure Administrator
    Date deposited:15 Sep 2020 11:57
    Last modified:18 Sep 2022 17:04
    URI:https://strathprints.strath.ac.uk/id/eprint/73839
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