Abstract
A new method of generation of high-energy highly charged ion beams is proposed. The method is based on the interaction of petawatt circularly polarized laser pulses with high- compound targets consisting of two species of different charge-to-mass ratio. It is shown that highly charged ions produced by field ionization can be accelerated up to tens of with ion (actually with ) beam parameters like density and total charge inaccessible in conventional accelerators. A possibility of further ionization of the accelerated ion bunches in foil is also discussed.
- Received 20 February 2012
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.109.245008
© 2012 American Physical Society