Maximum Proton Energy above 85 MeV from the Relativistic Interaction of Laser Pulses with Micrometer Thick CH2 Targets

F. Wagner, O. Deppert, C. Brabetz, P. Fiala, A. Kleinschmidt, P. Poth, V. A. Schanz, A. Tebartz, B. Zielbauer, M. Roth, T. Stöhlker, and V. Bagnoud
Phys. Rev. Lett. 116, 205002 – Published 19 May 2016

Abstract

We present a study of laser-driven ion acceleration with micrometer and submicrometer thick plastic targets. Using laser pulses with high temporal contrast and an intensity of the order of 1020W/cm2 we observe proton beams with cutoff energies in excess of 85 MeV and particle numbers of 109 in an energy bin of 1 MeV around this maximum. We show that applying the target normal sheath acceleration mechanism with submicrometer thick targets is a very robust way to achieve such high ion energies and particle fluxes. Our results are backed with 2D particle in cell simulations furthermore predicting cutoff energies above 200 MeV for acceleration based on relativistic transparency. This predicted regime can be probed after a few technically feasible adjustments of the laser and target parameters.

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  • Received 1 December 2015

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.116.205002

© 2016 American Physical Society

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Plasma Physics

Authors & Affiliations

F. Wagner1,2,*, O. Deppert3, C. Brabetz1, P. Fiala3, A. Kleinschmidt3, P. Poth3, V. A. Schanz3, A. Tebartz3, B. Zielbauer1, M. Roth3, T. Stöhlker1,2, and V. Bagnoud1,2

  • 1GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung GmbH, Planckstraße 1, 64291 Darmstadt, Germany
  • 2Helmholtz Institut Jena, Fröbelstieg 3, 07743 Jena, Germany
  • 3Institut für Kernphysik, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Schlossgartenstraße 9, 64289 Darmstadt, Germany

  • *f.wagner@gsi.de

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Vol. 116, Iss. 20 — 20 May 2016

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