Collimated Multi-MeV Ion Beams from High-Intensity Laser Interactions with Underdense Plasma
Abstract
A beam of multi-MeV helium ions has been observed from the interaction of a short-pulse high-intensity laser pulse with underdense helium plasma. The ion beam was found to have a maximum energy for He2+ of (40-8+3)MeV and was directional along the laser propagation path, with the highest energy ions being collimated to a cone of less than 10°. 2D particle-in-cell simulations show that the ions are accelerated by a sheath electric field that is produced at the back of the gas target. This electric field is generated by transfer of laser energy to a hot electron beam, which exits the target generating large space-charge fields normal to its boundary.
- Publication:
-
Physical Review Letters
- Pub Date:
- June 2006
- DOI:
- 10.1103/PhysRevLett.96.245002
- Bibcode:
- 2006PhRvL..96x5002W
- Keywords:
-
- 52.38.Kd;
- 52.38.Hb;
- 52.65.Rr;
- Laser-plasma acceleration of electrons and ions;
- Self-focussing channeling and filamentation in plasmas;
- Particle-in-cell method