1
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Sugimoto K, He Y, Iwata N, Yeh IL, Tangtartharakul K, Arefiev A, Sentoku Y. Positron Generation and Acceleration in a Self-Organized Photon Collider Enabled by an Ultraintense Laser Pulse. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2023; 131:065102. [PMID: 37625047 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.131.065102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Revised: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023]
Abstract
We discovered a simple regime where a near-critical plasma irradiated by a laser of experimentally available intensity can self-organize to produce positrons and accelerate them to ultrarelativistic energies. The laser pulse piles up electrons at its leading edge, producing a strong longitudinal plasma electric field. The field creates a moving gamma-ray collider that generates positrons via the linear Breit-Wheeler process-annihilation of two gamma rays into an electron-positron pair. At the same time, the plasma field, rather than the laser, serves as an accelerator for the positrons. The discovery of positron acceleration was enabled by a first-of-its-kind kinetic simulation that generates pairs via photon-photon collisions. Using available laser intensities of 10^{22} W/cm^{2}, the discovered regime can generate a GeV positron beam with a divergence angle of around 10° and a total charge of 0.1 pC. The result paves the way to experimental observation of the linear Breit-Wheeler process and to applications requiring positron beams.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Sugimoto
- Department of Physics, Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, 1-1 Machikanecho, Toyonaka, Osaka 560-0043, Japan
- Institute of Laser Engineering, Osaka University, 2-6 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Y He
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, USA
| | - N Iwata
- Institute of Laser Engineering, Osaka University, 2-6 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
- Institute for Advanced Co-Creation Studies, Osaka University, 1-1 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - I-L Yeh
- Department of Physics, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, USA
| | - K Tangtartharakul
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, USA
| | - A Arefiev
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, USA
| | - Y Sentoku
- Institute of Laser Engineering, Osaka University, 2-6 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
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2
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Higashi N, Iwata N, Sano T, Mima K, Sentoku Y. Isochoric heating of solid-density plasmas beyond keV temperature by fast thermal diffusion with relativistic picosecond laser light. Phys Rev E 2022; 105:055202. [PMID: 35706231 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.105.055202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2021] [Accepted: 03/31/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The interaction of relativistic short-pulse lasers with matter produces fast electrons with over megaampere currents, which supposedly heats a solid target isochorically and forms a hot dense plasma. In a picosecond timescale, however, thermal diffusion from hot preformed plasma turns out to be the dominant process of isochoric heating. We describe a heating process, fast thermal diffusion, launched from the preformed plasma heated resistively by the fast electron current. We demonstrate the fast thermal diffusion in the keV range in a solid density plasma by a series of one-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations. A theoretical model of the fast thermal diffusion is developed and we derive the diffusion speed as a function of the laser amplitude and target density. Under continuous laser irradiation, the diffusion front propagates at a constant speed in uniform plasma. Our model can provide a guideline for fast isochoric heating using future kilojoule petawatt lasers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naoki Higashi
- Department of Physics, Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, 1-1 Machikanecho, Toyonaka, Osaka 560-0043, Japan
- Institute of Laser Engineering, Osaka University, 2-6 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
- Division of Applied Quantum Science and Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Hokkaido University, Kita 13, Nishi 8, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-8628, Japan
| | - Natsumi Iwata
- Institute of Laser Engineering, Osaka University, 2-6 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
- Institute for Advanced Co-Creation Studies, Osaka University, 1-1 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Takayoshi Sano
- Institute of Laser Engineering, Osaka University, 2-6 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Kunioki Mima
- Institute of Laser Engineering, Osaka University, 2-6 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Yasuhiko Sentoku
- Institute of Laser Engineering, Osaka University, 2-6 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
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3
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Sawada H, Trzaska J, Curry CB, Gauthier M, Fletcher LB, Jiang S, Lee HJ, Galtier EC, Cunningham E, Dyer G, Daykin TS, Chen L, Salinas C, Glenn GD, Frost M, Glenzer SH, Ping Y, Kemp AJ, Sentoku Y. 2D monochromatic x-ray imaging for beam monitoring of an x-ray free electron laser and a high-power femtosecond laser. THE REVIEW OF SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS 2021; 92:013510. [PMID: 33514225 DOI: 10.1063/5.0014329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2020] [Accepted: 12/23/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
In pump-probe experiments with an X-ray Free Electron Laser (XFEL) and a high-power optical laser, spatial overlap of the two beams must be ensured to probe a pumped area with the x-ray beam. A beam monitoring diagnostic is particularly important in short-pulse laser experiments where a tightly focused beam is required to achieve a relativistic laser intensity for generation of energetic particles. Here, we report the demonstration of on-shot beam pointing measurements of an XFEL and a terawatt class femtosecond laser using 2D monochromatic Kα imaging at the Matter in Extreme Conditions end-station of the Linac Coherent Light Source. A thin solid titanium foil was irradiated by a 25-TW laser for fast electron isochoric heating, while a 7.0 keV XFEL beam was used to probe the laser-heated region. Using a spherical crystal imager (SCI), the beam overlap was examined by measuring 4.51 keV Kα x rays produced by laser-accelerated fast electrons and the x-ray beam. Measurements were made for XFEL-only at various focus lens positions, laser-only, and two-beam shots. Successful beam overlapping was observed on ∼58% of all two-beam shots for 10 μm thick samples. It is found that large spatial offsets of laser-induced Kα spots are attributed to imprecise target positioning rather than shot-to-shot laser pointing variations. By applying the Kα measurements to x-ray Thomson scattering measurements, we found an optimum x-ray beam spot size that maximizes scattering signals. Monochromatic x-ray imaging with the SCI could be used as an on-shot beam pointing monitor for XFEL-laser or multiple short-pulse laser experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- H Sawada
- Department of Physics, University of Nevada Reno, Reno, Nevada 89557, USA
| | - J Trzaska
- Department of Physics, University of Nevada Reno, Reno, Nevada 89557, USA
| | - C B Curry
- SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, California 94025, USA
| | - M Gauthier
- SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, California 94025, USA
| | - L B Fletcher
- SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, California 94025, USA
| | - S Jiang
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California 94550, USA
| | - H J Lee
- SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, California 94025, USA
| | - E C Galtier
- SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, California 94025, USA
| | - E Cunningham
- SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, California 94025, USA
| | - G Dyer
- SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, California 94025, USA
| | - T S Daykin
- Department of Physics, University of Nevada Reno, Reno, Nevada 89557, USA
| | - L Chen
- Department of Physics, University of Nevada Reno, Reno, Nevada 89557, USA
| | - C Salinas
- Department of Physics, University of Nevada Reno, Reno, Nevada 89557, USA
| | - G D Glenn
- SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, California 94025, USA
| | - M Frost
- SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, California 94025, USA
| | - S H Glenzer
- SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, California 94025, USA
| | - Y Ping
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California 94550, USA
| | - A J Kemp
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California 94550, USA
| | - Y Sentoku
- Institute of Laser Engineering, Osaka University, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
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4
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Royle R, Sentoku Y, Mancini RC, Paraschiv I, Johzaki T. Kinetic modeling of x-ray laser-driven solid Al plasmas via particle-in-cell simulation. Phys Rev E 2017; 95:063203. [PMID: 28709226 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.95.063203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Solid-density plasmas driven by intense x-ray free-electron laser (XFEL) radiation are seeded by sources of nonthermal photoelectrons and Auger electrons that ionize and heat the target via collisions. Simulation codes that are commonly used to model such plasmas, such as collisional-radiative (CR) codes, typically assume a Maxwellian distribution and thus instantaneous thermalization of the source electrons. In this study, we present a detailed description and initial applications of a collisional particle-in-cell code, picls, that has been extended with a self-consistent radiation transport model and Monte Carlo models for photoionization and KLL Auger ionization, enabling the fully kinetic simulation of XFEL-driven plasmas. The code is used to simulate two experiments previously performed at the Linac Coherent Light Source investigating XFEL-driven solid-density Al plasmas. It is shown that picls-simulated pulse transmissions using the Ecker-Kröll continuum-lowering model agree much better with measurements than do simulations using the Stewart-Pyatt model. Good quantitative agreement is also found between the time-dependent picls results and those of analogous simulations by the CR code scfly, which was used in the analysis of the experiments to accurately reproduce the observed Kα emissions and pulse transmissions. Finally, it is shown that the effects of the nonthermal electrons are negligible for the conditions of the particular experiments under investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Royle
- Department of Physics, University of Nevada, Reno, Nevada 89557, USA
| | - Y Sentoku
- Department of Physics, University of Nevada, Reno, Nevada 89557, USA
- Institute of Laser Engineering, Osaka University, Osaka Prefecture 565-0871, Japan
| | - R C Mancini
- Department of Physics, University of Nevada, Reno, Nevada 89557, USA
| | - I Paraschiv
- Voss Scientific, LLC, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87108, USA
| | - T Johzaki
- Graduate School of Engineering, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima Prefecture 739-8527, Japan
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5
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Bang W, Albright BJ, Bradley PA, Vold EL, Boettger JC, Fernández JC. Linear dependence of surface expansion speed on initial plasma temperature in warm dense matter. Sci Rep 2016; 6:29441. [PMID: 27405664 PMCID: PMC4942619 DOI: 10.1038/srep29441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2016] [Accepted: 06/20/2016] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent progress in laser-driven quasi-monoenergetic ion beams enabled the production of uniformly heated warm dense matter. Matter heated rapidly with this technique is under extreme temperatures and pressures, and promptly expands outward. While the expansion speed of an ideal plasma is known to have a square-root dependence on temperature, computer simulations presented here show a linear dependence of expansion speed on initial plasma temperature in the warm dense matter regime. The expansion of uniformly heated 1–100 eV solid density gold foils was modeled with the RAGE radiation-hydrodynamics code, and the average surface expansion speed was found to increase linearly with temperature. The origin of this linear dependence is explained by comparing predictions from the SESAME equation-of-state tables with those from the ideal gas equation-of-state. These simulations offer useful insight into the expansion of warm dense matter and motivate the application of optical shadowgraphy for temperature measurement.
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Affiliation(s)
- W Bang
- Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, USA
| | - B J Albright
- Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, USA
| | - P A Bradley
- Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, USA
| | - E L Vold
- Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, USA
| | - J C Boettger
- Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, USA
| | - J C Fernández
- Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, USA
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6
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Bang W, Albright BJ, Bradley PA, Vold EL, Boettger JC, Fernández JC. Uniform heating of materials into the warm dense matter regime with laser-driven quasimonoenergetic ion beams. PHYSICAL REVIEW. E, STATISTICAL, NONLINEAR, AND SOFT MATTER PHYSICS 2015; 92:063101. [PMID: 26764832 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.92.063101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
In a recent experiment at the Trident laser facility, a laser-driven beam of quasimonoenergetic aluminum ions was used to heat solid gold and diamond foils isochorically to 5.5 and 1.7 eV, respectively. Here theoretical calculations are presented that suggest the gold and diamond were heated uniformly by these laser-driven ion beams. According to calculations and SESAME equation-of-state tables, laser-driven aluminum ion beams achievable at Trident, with a finite energy spread of ΔE/E∼20%, are expected to heat the targets more uniformly than a beam of 140-MeV aluminum ions with zero energy spread. The robustness of the expected heating uniformity relative to the changes in the incident ion energy spectra is evaluated, and expected plasma temperatures of various target materials achievable with the current experimental platform are presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- W Bang
- Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, USA
| | - B J Albright
- Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, USA
| | - P A Bradley
- Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, USA
| | - E L Vold
- Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, USA
| | - J C Boettger
- Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, USA
| | - J C Fernández
- Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, USA
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7
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Faenov AY, Colgan J, Hansen SB, Zhidkov A, Pikuz TA, Nishiuchi M, Pikuz SA, Skobelev IY, Abdallah J, Sakaki H, Sagisaka A, Pirozhkov AS, Ogura K, Fukuda Y, Kanasaki M, Hasegawa N, Nishikino M, Kando M, Watanabe Y, Kawachi T, Masuda S, Hosokai T, Kodama R, Kondo K. Nonlinear increase of X-ray intensities from thin foils irradiated with a 200 TW femtosecond laser. Sci Rep 2015; 5:13436. [PMID: 26330230 PMCID: PMC4557088 DOI: 10.1038/srep13436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2015] [Accepted: 07/27/2015] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
We report, for the first time, that the energy of femtosecond optical laser pulses, E, with relativistic intensities I > 10(21) W/cm(2) is efficiently converted to X-ray radiation, which is emitted by "hot" electron component in collision-less processes and heats the solid density plasma periphery. As shown by direct high-resolution spectroscopic measurements X-ray radiation from plasma periphery exhibits unusual non-linear growth ~E(4-5) of its power. The non-linear power growth occurs far earlier than the known regime when the radiation reaction dominates particle motion (RDR). Nevertheless, the radiation is shown to dominate the kinetics of the plasma periphery, changing in this regime (now labeled RDKR) the physical picture of the laser plasma interaction. Although in the experiments reported here we demonstrated by observation of KK hollow ions that X-ray intensities in the keV range exceeds ~10(17) W/cm(2), there is no theoretical limit of the radiation power. Therefore, such powerful X-ray sources can produce and probe exotic material states with high densities and multiple inner-shell electron excitations even for higher Z elements. Femtosecond laser-produced plasmas may thus provide unique ultra-bright X-ray sources, for future studies of matter in extreme conditions, material science studies, and radiography of biological systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Ya Faenov
- Institute for Academic Initiatives, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.,Joint Institute for High Temperatures, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 125412, Russia
| | - J Colgan
- Theoretical Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA
| | - S B Hansen
- Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87123, USA
| | - A Zhidkov
- PPC and Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, 2-1, Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - T A Pikuz
- Joint Institute for High Temperatures, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 125412, Russia.,PPC and Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, 2-1, Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - M Nishiuchi
- Quantum Beam Science Directorate, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Kizugawa, Kyoto, Japan
| | - S A Pikuz
- Joint Institute for High Temperatures, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 125412, Russia.,National Research Nuclear University (MEPhI), Moscow 115409, Russia
| | - I Yu Skobelev
- Joint Institute for High Temperatures, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 125412, Russia.,National Research Nuclear University (MEPhI), Moscow 115409, Russia
| | - J Abdallah
- Theoretical Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA
| | - H Sakaki
- Quantum Beam Science Directorate, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Kizugawa, Kyoto, Japan
| | - A Sagisaka
- Quantum Beam Science Directorate, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Kizugawa, Kyoto, Japan
| | - A S Pirozhkov
- Quantum Beam Science Directorate, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Kizugawa, Kyoto, Japan
| | - K Ogura
- Quantum Beam Science Directorate, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Kizugawa, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Y Fukuda
- Quantum Beam Science Directorate, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Kizugawa, Kyoto, Japan
| | - M Kanasaki
- Quantum Beam Science Directorate, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Kizugawa, Kyoto, Japan
| | - N Hasegawa
- Quantum Beam Science Directorate, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Kizugawa, Kyoto, Japan
| | - M Nishikino
- Quantum Beam Science Directorate, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Kizugawa, Kyoto, Japan
| | - M Kando
- Quantum Beam Science Directorate, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Kizugawa, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Y Watanabe
- Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Engineering Sciences, Kyushu University, Japan
| | - T Kawachi
- Quantum Beam Science Directorate, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Kizugawa, Kyoto, Japan
| | - S Masuda
- PPC and Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, 2-1, Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - T Hosokai
- PPC and Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, 2-1, Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - R Kodama
- Institute for Academic Initiatives, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.,PPC and Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, 2-1, Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - K Kondo
- Quantum Beam Science Directorate, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Kizugawa, Kyoto, Japan
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