Speaker
Andrey Brantov
Description
See the full Abstract at http://ocs.ciemat.es/EPS2018ABS/pdf/P2.2004.pdf
Advanced study of laser triggered proton acceleration from low-density
target
A.V.Brantov1,2, P. A. Ksenofontov1, V. Yu. Bychenkov1,2
1
P. N. Lebedev Physics Institute (LPI), Russian Academy of Science, Moscow, Russia
2
Center of Fundamental and Applied Research, VNIIA, ROSATOM, Moscow, Russia
Here we discuss the recently proposed concept of proton synchronized acceleration by slow
light (SASL) from low-density targets by powerful laser pulses [Brantov et.al,
Phys.Rev.Lett. 116, 085004 (2016)]. In SASL regime ions are accelerated by laser
ponderomotive electric sheath, which propagates in a plasma with the same velocity as a
laser pulse. Monotonic increase of the pulse group velocity during propagation of light
makes ions possible to move in sync with accelerating electrostatic sheath. We extend the
general idea of SASL concepts on the low-density targets available in practice and present
the 3D PIC simulations of proton acceleration from low-density carbon nanotube target
with hydrocarbon contaminated edges or bulk target volume. It has been shown that
maximum proton energy is rather independent on the hydrogen density inside low-density
target unless it does not exceed 10% of carbon density. The pre-pulse effect on proton
acceleration efficiency has been also studied by modeling the targets by given pre-plasmas
or by using picosecond wings for incident laser pulse. We have demonstrated as well, that
using of circular polarization allows laser pulse to enter SASL regime at considerably lower
intensity, as compared to earlier reported value at the level of about 1021 W/cm2. The
discussion of advances of circularly polarized laser pulses for ion acceleration is addressed
in details.
This work was supported by the Russian Science Foundation (grant 17-12-01283).
