| 1. |
- Brenner, C. M., et al.
(författare)
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Dependence of laser accelerated protons on laser energy following the interaction of defocused, intense laser pulses with ultra-thin targets
- 2011
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Ingår i: Laser and Particle Beams. - 0263-0346. ; 29:3, s. 345-351
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The scaling of the flux and maximum energy of laser-driven sheath-accelerated protons has been investigated as a function of laser pulse energy in the range of 15-380 mJ at intensities of 10(16)-10(18) W/cm(2). The pulse duration and target thickness were fixed at 40 fs and 25 nm, respectively, while the laser focal spot size and drive energy were varied. Our results indicate that while the maximum proton energy is dependent on the laser energy and laser spot diameter, the proton flux is primarily related to the laser pulse energy under the conditions studied here. Our measurements show that increasing the laser energy by an order of magnitude results in a more than 500-fold increase in the observed proton flux. Whereas, an order of magnitude increase in the laser intensity generated by decreasing the laser focal spot size, at constant laser energy, gives rise to less than a tenfold increase in observed proton flux.
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| 2. |
- Carroll, DC, et al.
(författare)
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Active manipulation of the spatial energy distribution of laser-accelerated proton beams
- 2007
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Ingår i: Physical Review E (Statistical, Nonlinear, and Soft Matter Physics). - 1539-3755. ; 76:065401(R), s. 1-065401
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The spatial energy distributions of beams of protons accelerated by ultrahigh intensity (>10^19 W/cm2) picosecond laser pulse interactions with thin foil targets are investigated. Using separate, low intensity (<10^13 W/cm2) nanosecond laser pulses, focused onto the front surface of the target foil prior to the arrival of the high intensity pulse, it is demonstrated that the proton beam profile can be actively manipulated. In particular, results obtained with an annular intensity distribution at the focus of the low intensity beam are presented, showing smooth proton beams with a sharp circular boundary at all energies, which represents a significant improvement in the beam quality compared to irradiation with the picosecond beam alone.
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| 3. |
- Green, J. S., et al.
(författare)
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Enhanced proton flux in the MeV range by defocused laser irradiation
- 2010
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Ingår i: New Journal of Physics. - : IOP Publishing. - 1367-2630. ; 12
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Thin Al foils (50 nm and 6 mu m) were irradiated at intensities of up to 2x10(19) W cm(-2) using high contrast (10(8)) laser pulses. Ion emission from the rear of the targets was measured using a scintillator-based Thomson parabola and beam sampling 'footprint' monitor. The variation of the ion spectra and beam profile with focal spot size was systematically studied. The results show that while the maximum proton energy is achieved around tight focus for both target thicknesses, as the spot size increases the ion flux at lower energies is seen to peak at significantly increased spot sizes. Measurements of the proton footprint, however, show that the off-axis proton flux is highest at tight focus, indicating that a previously identified proton deflection mechanism may alter the on-axis spectrum. One-dimensional particle-in-cell modelling of the experiment supports our hypothesis that the observed change in spectra with focal spot size is due to the competition of two effects: decrease in laser intensity and an increase in proton emission area.
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| 4. |
- Pirozhkov, A. S., et al.
(författare)
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Diagnostic of laser contrast using target reflectivity
- 2009
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Ingår i: Applied Physics Letters. - : AIP Publishing. - 0003-6951 .- 1077-3118. ; 94:24
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Using three different laser systems, we demonstrate a convenient and simple plasma based diagnostic of the contrast of high-power short-pulse lasers. The technique is based on measuring the specular reflectivity from a solid target. The reflectivity remains high even at relativistic intensities above 10(19) W/cm(2) in the case of a high-contrast prepulse-free laser. On the contrary, the specular reflectivity drops with increasing intensities in the case of systems with insufficient contrast due to beam breakup and increased absorption caused by preplasma.
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| 5. |
- Robinson, A. P. L., et al.
(författare)
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Spectral modification of laser-accelerated proton beams by self-generated magnetic fields
- 2009
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Ingår i: New Journal of Physics. - : IOP Publishing. - 1367-2630. ; 11
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Target normal measurements of proton energy spectra from ultrathin (50-200 nm) planar foil targets irradiated by 10(19) W cm(-2) 40 fs laser pulses exhibit broad maxima that are not present in the energy spectra from micron thickness targets (6 mu m). The proton flux in the peak is considerably greater than the proton flux observed in the same energy range in thicker targets. Numerical modelling of the experiment indicates that this spectral modification in thin targets is caused by magnetic fields that grow at the rear of the target during the laser-target interaction.
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| 6. |
- Xu, M. H., et al.
(författare)
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Enhancement of ion generation in femtosecond ultraintense laser-foil interactions by defocusing
- 2012
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Ingår i: Applied Physics Letters. - : AIP Publishing. - 0003-6951 .- 1077-3118. ; 100:8
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A simple method to enhance ion generation with femtosecond ultraintense lasers is demonstrated experimentally by defocusing laser beams on target surface. When the laser is optimally defocused, we find that the population of medium and low energy protons from ultra-thin foils is increased significantly while the proton cutoff energy is almost unchanged. In this way, the total proton yield can be enhanced by more than 1 order, even though the peak laser intensity drops. The depression of the amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) effect and the population increase of moderate-energy electrons are believed to be the main reasons for the effective enhancement. (C) 2012 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3688027]
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