Hundreds-GeV Au ion generation by 1022–24 W cm−2 laser pulses interacting with high-Z grain doped gas. (8th January 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zhao, N; Zou, D B; Jiang, X R; Yu, T P; Yu, M Y; Liu, K; Huang, T W; Zhang, H; Wu, S Z; Hu, L X; Zhang, G B; Yin, Y; Shao, F Q; Zhuo, H B; Zhou, C T
• Is Part Of: Plasma physics and controlled fusion. Volume 63:Number 3(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-01-08
• Subjects: plasma physics -- hundreds-petawatt laser pulse -- heavy ion acceleration -- high-Z grain doped gas; Plasma (Ionized gases) -- Periodicals; Controlled fusion -- Periodicals; 530.44
• DOI: 10.1088/1361-6587/abcf7d
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0741-3335

Abstract

Abstract: Collision of intermediate-energy heavy ions is an important way to investigate the state of high-density nuclear matter and formation of quark gluon plasmas. In this paper, we demonstrate from two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations that hundreds-GeV Au 79+ ions can be generated by ultrashort ∼10 22–24 W cm −2 lasers interacting with high- Z grain doped gas. Under extremely intense laser field, strong γ -ray radiation has resulted in massive laser energy loss, and the invoked radiation reaction trapping of electrons weakens the heavy ion acceleration. However, due to hole-boring acceleration and multi-body expansion acceleration of high- Z grains, the energy conversion efficiency from laser to heavy ions is still up to 32%. Our results might provide an effective routine to carry out the experimental explorations of heavy-ion collisions by using hundreds-petawatt laser facilities.