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Bulk acceleration of ions in intense laser interaction with foams
- Source :
- Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion. 47:B879-B889
- Publication Year :
- 2005
- Publisher :
- IOP Publishing, 2005.
-
Abstract
- It is suggested that bulk acceleration of ions can occur in a target with density discontinuities when hot electrons are transported through the target. A foam target just belongs to such a kind of target, which is composed of irregular lamellar layers distributed randomly. To simplify the problem, we study the interaction of a high intensity laser pulse with a target consisting of regular micro-thin layers separated with a thickness of around a micrometre. Particle-in-cell simulations suggest that localized electrostatic fields with multi-peaks around the surfaces of the thin layers inside are induced when fast electrons produced are transported through such a target. These fields inhibit hot electron transport and simultaneously accelerate ions from the thin layers inside the target, forming a bulk acceleration in contrast to the surface acceleration at the front and rear sides of a thin solid target. Bulk acceleration can produce a large number of ions of moderate energy, which may be useful for applications such as fast ignition by fast protons. Experimental evidence of bulk acceleration is found with low-density foams irradiated by ultra-intense laser pulses.
Details
- ISSN :
- 13616587 and 07413335
- Volume :
- 47
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi...........73f09fe435735fdf6027aa4793d33452