Proton acceleration from near critical density and underdense plasmas using ultra-intense laser pulses
S. S. BulanovV. ChvykovG. KalinchenkoTakeshi MatsuokaPascal RousseauV. YanovskyK. KrushelnickDale W. LitzenbergA. Maksimchuk
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Proton emission
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A new scheme is proposed in which high-flux and high-density positrons are generated via ultra-intense laser pulses colliding in a cylinder filled with near-critical-density plasmas. Comparing with the only cylinder case and the only gas case, positron generation is enhanced with a higher density. When discussing the influence of plasma density in positron generation, an optimal gas density is found around the near-critical density. The scheme will facilitate the realization of positron generation in labs and further applications of positrons.
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We review recent PIC simulation results which show that double-sided irradiation of a thin over-dense plasma slab by ultra-intense laser pulses from both sides can lead to sustained comoving acceleration of surface electrons to energies much higher than the conventional ponderomotive limit. The acceleration stops only when the electrons drift transversely out of the laser beam. We show latest 2.5D results of parameter studies based on finite laser spot size and discuss future laser experiments that can be used to test these results.
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Ponderomotive force
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Plasma cavitation in an underdense helium plasma driven by an ultraintense laser pulse (I>1020 W cm−2) is studied. Shadowgraphy and interferometry diagnose plasma channel formation as the laser pulse propagates through the underdense plasma. Measurements of the spatially resolved Thomson side-scattered light generated by the intense-driver pulse indicate the transverse and longitudinal extremities of the cavitated regions that form. Multiple laser-driven channels are observed and each is shown to be a source of electrons with energies greater than 100 MeV. Electron cavitation within an ion channel is consistent with the direct laser acceleration (DLA) mechanism that is present.
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Plasma channel
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Relativistic plasma
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Fast magnetic annihilation is investigated by using 2.5-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations of two parallel ultra-short petawatt laser pulses co-propagating in underdense plasma. The magnetic field generated by the laser pulses annihilates in a current sheet formed between the pulses. Magnetic field energy is converted to an inductive longitudinal electric field, which efficiently accelerates the electrons of the current sheet. This new regime of collisionless relativistic magnetic field annihilation with a timescale of tens of femtoseconds can be extended to near-critical and overdense plasma with the ultra-high intensity femtosecond laser pulses.
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Relativistic plasma
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Channelling
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Relativistic plasma
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High-energy ion generation from the interaction of an ultrashort intense laser pulse with an overdense plasma slab is studied with fully electromagnetic and relativistic particle-in-cell simulation. With a properly designed underdense preplasma, we observed that the forward ion acceleration from the front surface can be enhanced. The momentum distribution functions of the accelerated ions are investigated with respect to the laser pulse intensity and the preplasma profile.
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Particle-in-cell
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An experiment investigating the production of relativistic electrons from the interaction of ultrashort multi‐terawatt laser pulses with an underdense plasma is presented. Electrons were accelerated to tens of MeV and the maximum electron energy increased as the plasma density decreased. Simulations have been performed in order to model the experiment. They show a good agreement with the trends observed in the experiment and the spectra of accelerated electrons could be reproduced successfully. The simulations have been used to study the relative contribution of the different acceleration mechanisms: plasma wave acceleration, direct laser acceleration and stochastic heating. The results show that in the low density case (1% of the critical density), acceleration by plasma waves dominates whereas in the high density case (10% of the critical density) acceleration by the laser is the dominant mechanism. The simulations at high density also suggest that direct laser acceleration is more efficient than stochastic heating.
Plasma acceleration
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