Efficient laser-driven proton and bremsstrahlung generation from cluster-assembled foam targets. (9th September 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Prencipe, Irene; Metzkes-Ng, Josefine; Pazzaglia, Andrea; Bernert, Constantin; Dellasega, David; Fedeli, Luca; Formenti, Arianna; Garten, Marco; Kluge, Thomas; Kraft, Stephan; Garcia, Alejandro Laso; Maffini, Alessandro; Obst-Huebl, Lieselotte; Rehwald, Martin; Sobiella, Manfred; Zeil, Karl; Schramm, Ulrich; Cowan, Thomas E.; Passoni, Matteo
• Is Part Of: New journal of physics. Volume 23:Number 9(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-09-09
• Subjects: laser-driven ion acceleration -- laser-driven bremsstrahlung generation -- TNSA -- near-critical density plasma -- nanostructured targets -- foam targets; Physics -- Periodicals; Physics; Periodicals; 530.05
• DOI: 10.1088/1367-2630/ac1fcd
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1367-2630

Abstract

Abstract: The interaction between intense 30 fs laser pulses and foam-coated 1.5 μ m-thick Al foils in the relativistic regime (up to 5 × 10 20 W cm −2 ) is studied to optimize the laser energy conversion into laser-accelerated protons. A significant enhancement is observed for foam targets in terms of proton cut-off energy (18.5 MeV) and number of protons above 4.7 MeV (4 × 10 9 protons/shot) with respect to uncoated foils (9.5 MeV, 1 × 10 9 protons/shot), together with a sixfold increase in the bremsstrahlung yield. This enhancement is attributed to increased laser absorption and electron generation in the foam meso- and nanostructure.