Selective deuterium ion acceleration using the Vulcan petawatt laser
File(s)2015KrygierPhysPlas.pdf (766.42 KB)
Published version
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
We report on the successful demonstration of selective acceleration of deuterium ions by targetnormal
sheath acceleration (TNSA) with a high-energy petawatt laser. TNSA typically produces a
multi-species ion beam that originates from the intrinsic hydrocarbon and water vapor contaminants
on the target surface. Using the method first developed by Morrison et al. [Phys. Plasmas 19,
030707 (2012)], an ion beam with >99% deuterium ions and peak energy 14 MeV/nucleon is produced
with a 200 J, 700 fs, >1020W=cm2 laser pulse by cryogenically freezing heavy water (D2O)
vapor onto the rear surface of the target prior to the shot. Within the range of our detectors
(0!–8.5!), we find laser-to-deuterium-ion energy conversion efficiency of 4.3% above 0.7 MeV/
nucleon while a conservative estimate of the total beam gives a conversion efficiency of 9.4%.
sheath acceleration (TNSA) with a high-energy petawatt laser. TNSA typically produces a
multi-species ion beam that originates from the intrinsic hydrocarbon and water vapor contaminants
on the target surface. Using the method first developed by Morrison et al. [Phys. Plasmas 19,
030707 (2012)], an ion beam with >99% deuterium ions and peak energy 14 MeV/nucleon is produced
with a 200 J, 700 fs, >1020W=cm2 laser pulse by cryogenically freezing heavy water (D2O)
vapor onto the rear surface of the target prior to the shot. Within the range of our detectors
(0!–8.5!), we find laser-to-deuterium-ion energy conversion efficiency of 4.3% above 0.7 MeV/
nucleon while a conservative estimate of the total beam gives a conversion efficiency of 9.4%.
Date Issued
2015-05-05
Date Acceptance
2015-04-20
Citation
Physics of Plasmas, 2015, 22 (5)
ISSN
1089-7674
Publisher
American Institute of Physics (AIP)
Journal / Book Title
Physics of Plasmas
Volume
22
Issue
5
Copyright Statement
Copyright © 2015 American Institute of Physics. This article may be downloaded for personal use only. Any other use requires prior permission of the author and the American Institute of Physics. The following article appeared in Krygier, A. G., Morrison, J. T., Kar, S., Ahmed, H., Alejo, A., Clarke, R., ... Freeman, R. R. (2015). Selective deuterium ion acceleration using the Vulcan petawatt laser. Physics of Plasmas, 22(5), [053102] and may be found at https://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4919618
Subjects
Science & Technology
Physical Sciences
Physics, Fluids & Plasmas
Physics
PLASMA INTERACTION
PROTON-BEAMS
INTENSE
GENERATION
DRIVEN
PULSES
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
ARTN 053102