LASER-ION ACCELERATO

Optimal ion acceleration at the interaction of super-intense profiled laser pulse with mass limited targets

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 Obiettivo del progetto (Objective)

'Developments in laser technology have enabled high power lasers to produce multi terrawatt ultrashort pulses, which allow examining the fundamental physics of high intensity laser-matter interaction. Recently an interest has developed in the use of such intense lasers for ion acceleration up to multi-MeV energies. Experiments held in the laboratories all around the World have proven the possibility of transformation of the laser energy to collimated ultra-fast ion bunches with high efficiency when focusing ultra-short laser pulses of high intensity on solid targets. Among potential applications of the laser ion acceleration are: development of a compact proton source for radiography and imaging, tool for the experiments in nuclear physics at extremely short time scales, development of the technique for ‘‘table-top’’ production of radio-nuclides for medical applications, new methods of a treatment in nuclear medicine, injectors for relativistic ion accelerators and “fast ignition” concept of ICF light ions. The commonly recognized effect responsible for ion acceleration is the charge separation in plasma due to high-energy electrons driven by the laser inside the target. Because of numerous mechanisms of electric field generation different regimes of ion acceleration are possible. Our basic interest in the project is to investigate the mechanisms of ion acceleration in the interaction of laser pulse with mass limited targets depending on laser and target parameters and formulate practical recommendations on optimisation of ion yield with given characteristics for laser intensities of current interest. The main efforts of this project will be devoted to development of the theory and numerical codes, which describe physical characteristics of fast particles generated at the interaction of high intensity short laser pulse with a mass limited targets but experimental studies for verifying some results of theory and simulations will be done as well.'

Introduzione (Teaser)

EU-funded European scientists investigated novel ion acceleration mechanisms with important implications for imaging, nuclear medicine and nuclear physics.

Descrizione progetto (Article)

Laser technology and its application to numerous problems of relevance to nuclear physics, nuclear medicine, radiography and imaging have developed tremendously within the last several decades.

Intense, high-power lasers capable of delivering ultra-short pulses of radiation (on the order of femtoseconds, or one billion billionths of a millisecond) allow examination of the fundamental properties of high-intensity laser-matter interactions.

More recently, interest has developed in using such lasers for ion acceleration. However, the numerous mechanisms of ion acceleration depend greatly on laser and target parameters that have not been extensively studied.

European scientists initiated the LASER-ION Accelerato project to investigate such mechanisms and provide practical recommendations for optimising ion yield given laser intensities of interest.

Significant improvements to the ratio between laser pulse intensity to noise intensity (temporal pulse contrast) enabled experiments to study new acceleration mechanisms such as radiation pressure acceleration (RPA).

Scientists also studied so-called mass-limited targets (MLTs), whose limited sizes lead to additional interactions of electrons with the laser pulse, thus enhancing ion energy.

LASER-ION Accelerato yielded advanced understanding of ion acceleration mechanisms with ultra-short pulse lasers. Project insights could have important impact on nuclear physics, imaging and table-top radio-nucleotide production for medical applications.