Final published version
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Finite Spot Effects on Radiation Pressure Acceleration from Intense High-Contrast Laser Interactions with Thin Targets
AU - Dollar, F.
AU - Zulick, C.
AU - Thomas, A. G. R.
AU - Chvykov, V.
AU - Davis, J.
AU - Kalinchenko, G.
AU - Matsuoka, T.
AU - McGuffey, C.
AU - Petrov, G. M.
AU - Willingale, L.
AU - Yanovsky, V.
AU - Maksimchuk, A.
AU - Krushelnick, K.
PY - 2012/4/25
Y1 - 2012/4/25
N2 - Short pulse laser interactions at intensities of 2 x 10(21) W cm(-2) with ultrahigh contrast (10(-15)) on submicrometer silicon nitride foils were studied experimentally by using linear and circular polarizations at normal incidence. It was observed that, as the target decreases in thickness, electron heating by the laser begins to occur for circular polarization leading to target normal sheath acceleration of contaminant ions, while at thicker targets no acceleration or electron heating is observed. For linear polarization, all targets showed exponential energy spreads with similar electron temperatures. Particle-in-cell simulations demonstrate that the heating is due to the rapid deformation of the target that occurs early in the interaction. These experiments demonstrate that finite spot size effects can severely restrict the regime suitable for radiation pressure acceleration.
AB - Short pulse laser interactions at intensities of 2 x 10(21) W cm(-2) with ultrahigh contrast (10(-15)) on submicrometer silicon nitride foils were studied experimentally by using linear and circular polarizations at normal incidence. It was observed that, as the target decreases in thickness, electron heating by the laser begins to occur for circular polarization leading to target normal sheath acceleration of contaminant ions, while at thicker targets no acceleration or electron heating is observed. For linear polarization, all targets showed exponential energy spreads with similar electron temperatures. Particle-in-cell simulations demonstrate that the heating is due to the rapid deformation of the target that occurs early in the interaction. These experiments demonstrate that finite spot size effects can severely restrict the regime suitable for radiation pressure acceleration.
KW - ION-ACCELERATION
KW - PROTON-BEAMS
KW - PLASMA
KW - GENERATION
KW - ELECTRON
KW - DRIVEN
KW - PULSES
KW - SOLIDS
U2 - 10.1103/PhysRevLett.108.175005
DO - 10.1103/PhysRevLett.108.175005
M3 - Journal article
VL - 108
JO - Physical review letters
JF - Physical review letters
SN - 1079-7114
IS - 17
M1 - 175005
ER -