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Nakatsutsumi M, Sentoku Y, Korzhimanov A, Chen SN, Buffechoux S, Kon A, Atherton B, Audebert P, Geissel M, Hurd L, Kimmel M, Rambo P, Schollmeier M, Schwarz J, Starodubtsev M, Gremillet L, Kodama R, Fuchs J. Self-generated surface magnetic fields inhibit laser-driven sheath acceleration of high-energy protons. Nat Commun 2018; 9:280. [PMID: 29348402 PMCID: PMC5773560 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-02436-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2016] [Accepted: 11/29/2017] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
High-intensity lasers interacting with solid foils produce copious numbers of relativistic electrons, which in turn create strong sheath electric fields around the target. The proton beams accelerated in such fields have remarkable properties, enabling ultrafast radiography of plasma phenomena or isochoric heating of dense materials. In view of longer-term multidisciplinary purposes (e.g., spallation neutron sources or cancer therapy), the current challenge is to achieve proton energies well in excess of 100 MeV, which is commonly thought to be possible by raising the on-target laser intensity. Here we present experimental and numerical results demonstrating that magnetostatic fields self-generated on the target surface may pose a fundamental limit to sheath-driven ion acceleration for high enough laser intensities. Those fields can be strong enough (~105 T at laser intensities ~1021 W cm–2) to magnetize the sheath electrons and deflect protons off the accelerating region, hence degrading the maximum energy the latter can acquire. Laser-generated ion acceleration has received increasing attention due to recent progress in super-intense lasers. Here the authors demonstrate the role of the self-generated magnetic field on the ion acceleration and limitations on the energy scaling with laser intensity.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Nakatsutsumi
- LULI-CNRS, École Polytechnique, CEA: Université Paris-Saclay; UPMC Univ Paris 06: Sorbonne Universités, Palaiseau cedex, F-91128, France. .,European XFEL, GmbH, Holzkoppel 4, 22869, Schenefeld, Germany. .,Open and Transdisciplinary Research Initiatives, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.
| | - Y Sentoku
- Institute of Laser Engineering, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.,Department of Physics, University of Nevada, Reno, Nevada, 89557, USA
| | - A Korzhimanov
- Institute of Applied Physics, 46 Ulyanov Street, 603950, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
| | - S N Chen
- LULI-CNRS, École Polytechnique, CEA: Université Paris-Saclay; UPMC Univ Paris 06: Sorbonne Universités, Palaiseau cedex, F-91128, France.,Institute of Applied Physics, 46 Ulyanov Street, 603950, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
| | - S Buffechoux
- LULI-CNRS, École Polytechnique, CEA: Université Paris-Saclay; UPMC Univ Paris 06: Sorbonne Universités, Palaiseau cedex, F-91128, France
| | - A Kon
- Institute of Laser Engineering, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.,Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.,Japan Synchrotron Radiation Research Institute, Sayo, Hyogo, 679-5198, Japan
| | - B Atherton
- Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM, 87123, USA
| | - P Audebert
- LULI-CNRS, École Polytechnique, CEA: Université Paris-Saclay; UPMC Univ Paris 06: Sorbonne Universités, Palaiseau cedex, F-91128, France
| | - M Geissel
- Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM, 87123, USA
| | - L Hurd
- LULI-CNRS, École Polytechnique, CEA: Université Paris-Saclay; UPMC Univ Paris 06: Sorbonne Universités, Palaiseau cedex, F-91128, France.,Department of Physics and Astronomy, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, 29634, USA
| | - M Kimmel
- Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM, 87123, USA
| | - P Rambo
- Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM, 87123, USA
| | - M Schollmeier
- Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM, 87123, USA
| | - J Schwarz
- Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM, 87123, USA
| | - M Starodubtsev
- Institute of Applied Physics, 46 Ulyanov Street, 603950, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
| | | | - R Kodama
- Institute of Laser Engineering, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.,Open and Transdisciplinary Research Initiatives, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.,Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan
| | - J Fuchs
- LULI-CNRS, École Polytechnique, CEA: Université Paris-Saclay; UPMC Univ Paris 06: Sorbonne Universités, Palaiseau cedex, F-91128, France. .,Institute of Applied Physics, 46 Ulyanov Street, 603950, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia.
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Daido H, Nishiuchi M, Pirozhkov AS. Review of laser-driven ion sources and their applications. REPORTS ON PROGRESS IN PHYSICS. PHYSICAL SOCIETY (GREAT BRITAIN) 2012; 75:056401. [PMID: 22790586 DOI: 10.1088/0034-4885/75/5/056401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 180] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
For many years, laser-driven ion acceleration, mainly proton acceleration, has been proposed and a number of proof-of-principle experiments have been carried out with lasers whose pulse duration was in the nanosecond range. In the 1990s, ion acceleration in a relativistic plasma was demonstrated with ultra-short pulse lasers based on the chirped pulse amplification technique which can provide not only picosecond or femtosecond laser pulse duration, but simultaneously ultra-high peak power of terawatt to petawatt levels. Starting from the year 2000, several groups demonstrated low transverse emittance, tens of MeV proton beams with a conversion efficiency of up to several percent. The laser-accelerated particle beams have a duration of the order of a few picoseconds at the source, an ultra-high peak current and a broad energy spectrum, which make them suitable for many, including several unique, applications. This paper reviews, firstly, the historical background including the early laser-matter interaction studies on energetic ion acceleration relevant to inertial confinement fusion. Secondly, we describe several implemented and proposed mechanisms of proton and/or ion acceleration driven by ultra-short high-intensity lasers. We pay special attention to relatively simple models of several acceleration regimes. The models connect the laser, plasma and proton/ion beam parameters, predicting important features, such as energy spectral shape, optimum conditions and scalings under these conditions for maximum ion energy, conversion efficiency, etc. The models also suggest possible ways to manipulate the proton/ion beams by tailoring the target and irradiation conditions. Thirdly, we review experimental results on proton/ion acceleration, starting with the description of driving lasers. We list experimental results and show general trends of parameter dependences and compare them with the theoretical predictions and simulations. The fourth topic includes a review of scientific, industrial and medical applications of laser-driven proton or ion sources, some of which have already been established, while the others are yet to be demonstrated. In most applications, the laser-driven ion sources are complementary to the conventional accelerators, exhibiting significantly different properties. Finally, we summarize the paper.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroyuki Daido
- Applied Laser Technology Institute, Tsuruga Head Office, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Kizaki, Tsuruga-shi, Fukui-ken 914-8585, Japan.
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Abstract
Ion beam therapy for cancer has proven to be a successful clinical approach, affording as good a cure as surgery and a higher quality of life. However, the ion beam therapy installation is large and expensive, limiting its availability for public benefit. One of the hurdles is to make the accelerator more compact on the basis of conventional technology. Laser acceleration of ions represents a rapidly developing young field. The prevailing acceleration mechanism (known as target normal sheath acceleration, TNSA), however, shows severe limitations in some key elements. We now witness that a new regime of coherent acceleration of ions by laser (CAIL) has been studied to overcome many of these problems and accelerate protons and carbon ions to high energies with higher efficiencies. Emerging scaling laws indicate possible realization of an ion therapy facility with compact, cost-efficient lasers. Furthermore, dense particle bunches may allow the use of much higher collective fields, reducing the size of beam transport and dump systems. Though ultimate realization of a laser-driven medical facility may take many years, the field is developing fast with many conceptual innovations and technical progress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toshiki Tajima
- Fakultät für Physik, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Am Coulombwall 1, 85748 Garching, Germany
- Photo-Medical Research Center, JAEA, Kyoto, 619-0215, Japan
| | - Dietrich Habs
- Fakultät für Physik, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Am Coulombwall 1, 85748 Garching, Germany
- Max-Planck-Institut für Quantenoptik, Hans-Kopfermann-Str. 1, 85748 Garching, Germany
| | - Xueqing Yan
- Max-Planck-Institut für Quantenoptik, Hans-Kopfermann-Str. 1, 85748 Garching, Germany
- SKL of Nuclear Physics and Technology, Peking University, 100871, Beijing, China
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Qiao B, Zepf M, Borghesi M, Dromey B, Geissler M, Karmakar A, Gibbon P. Radiation-pressure acceleration of ion beams from nanofoil targets: the leaky light-sail regime. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2010; 105:155002. [PMID: 21230914 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.105.155002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2010] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
A new ion radiation-pressure acceleration regime, the "leaky light sail," is proposed which uses sub-skin-depth nanometer foils irradiated by circularly polarized laser pulses. In the regime, the foil is partially transparent, continuously leaking electrons out along with the transmitted laser field. This feature can be exploited by a multispecies nanofoil configuration to stabilize the acceleration of the light ion component, supplementing the latter with an excess of electrons leaked from those associated with the heavy ions to avoid Coulomb explosion. It is shown by 2D particle-in-cell simulations that a monoenergetic proton beam with energy 18 MeV is produced by circularly polarized lasers at intensities of just 10¹⁹ W/cm². 100 MeV proton beams are obtained by increasing the intensities to 2 × 10²⁰ W/cm².
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Affiliation(s)
- B Qiao
- Jülich Supercomputing Center, Forschungzentrum Jülich GmbH, D-52425, Jülich, Germany
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Henig A, Kiefer D, Markey K, Gautier DC, Flippo KA, Letzring S, Johnson RP, Shimada T, Yin L, Albright BJ, Bowers KJ, Fernández JC, Rykovanov SG, Wu HC, Zepf M, Jung D, Liechtenstein VK, Schreiber J, Habs D, Hegelich BM. Enhanced laser-driven ion acceleration in the relativistic transparency regime. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2009; 103:045002. [PMID: 19659362 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.103.045002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2009] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
We report on the acceleration of ion beams from ultrathin diamondlike carbon foils of thickness 50, 30, and 10 nm irradiated by ultrahigh contrast laser pulses at intensities of approximately 7 x 10;{19} W/cm;{2}. An unprecedented maximum energy of 185 MeV (15 MeV/u) for fully ionized carbon atoms is observed at the optimum thickness of 30 nm. The enhanced acceleration is attributed to self-induced transparency, leading to strong volumetric heating of the classically overdense electron population in the bulk of the target. Our experimental results are supported by both particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations and an analytical model.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Henig
- Max-Planck-Institut für Quantenoptik, Garching, Germany.
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Huang Y, Bi Y, Shi Y, Wang N, Tang X, Gao Z. Time-dependent energetic proton acceleration and scaling laws in ultraintense laser-pulse interactions with thin foils. PHYSICAL REVIEW. E, STATISTICAL, NONLINEAR, AND SOFT MATTER PHYSICS 2009; 79:036406. [PMID: 19392063 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.79.036406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2008] [Revised: 01/15/2009] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
A two-phase model, where the plasma expansion is an isothermal one when laser irradiates and a following adiabatic one after laser ends, has been proposed to predict the maximum energy of the proton beams induced in the ultraintense laser-foil interactions. The hot-electron recirculation in the ultraintense laser-solid interactions has been accounted in and described by the time-dependent hot-electron density continuously in this model. The dilution effect of electron density as electrons recirculate and spread laterally has been considered. With our model, the scaling laws of maximum ion energy have been achieved and the dependence of the scaling coefficients on laser intensity, pulse duration, and target thickness have been obtained. Some interesting results have been predicted: the adiabatic expansion is an important process of the ion acceleration and cannot be neglected; the whole acceleration time is about 10-20 times of laser-pulse duration; the larger the laser intensity, the more sensitive the maximum ion energy to the change of focus radius, and so on.
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