Proton deflectometry of a capacitor coil target along two axes. (2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Bradford, P.; Read, M. P.; Ehret, M.; Antonelli, L.; Khan, M.; Booth, N.; Glize, K.; Carroll, D.; Clarke, R. J.; Heathcote, R.; Ryazantsev, S.; Pikuz, S.; Spindloe, C.; Moody, J. D.; Pollock, B. B.; Tikhonchuk, V. T.; Ridgers, C. P.; Santos, J. J.; Woolsey, N. C.
• Is Part Of: High power laser science and engineering. Volume 8(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020
• Subjects: strong magnetic field, -- laser-driven coil targets, -- laser-plasma interaction, -- proton deflectometry, -- laboratory astrophysics; High power lasers -- Periodicals; 621.366
• DOI: 10.1017/hpl.2020.9
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2095-4719

Abstract

Abstract : A developing application of laser-driven currents is the generation of magnetic fields of picosecond–nanosecond duration with magnitudes exceeding $B=10~\text{T}$ . Single-loop and helical coil targets can direct laser-driven discharge currents along wires to generate spatially uniform, quasi-static magnetic fields on the millimetre scale. Here, we present proton deflectometry across two axes of a single-loop coil ranging from 1 to 2 mm in diameter. Comparison with proton tracking simulations shows that measured magnetic fields are the result of kiloampere currents in the coil and electric charges distributed around the coil target. Using this dual-axis platform for proton deflectometry, robust measurements can be made of the evolution of magnetic fields in a capacitor coil target.