We report optimization of laser-driven proton acceleration, for a range of experimental parameters available from a single ultrafast Ti:sapphire laser system. We have characterized laser-generated protons produced at the rear and front target surfaces of thin solid targets (15 nm to 90 μm thicknesses) irradiated with an ultra-intense laser pulse (up to , pulse duration 30 to 500 fs, and pulse energy 0.1 to 1.8 J). We find an almost symmetric behaviour for protons accelerated from rear and front sides, and a linear scaling of proton energy cut-off with increasing pulse energy. At constant laser intensity, we observe that the proton cut-off energy increases with increasing laser pulse duration, then roughly constant for pulses longer than 300 fs. Finally, we demonstrate that there is an optimum target thickness and pulse duration.
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January 2013
Research Article|
January 29 2013
Investigation of laser-driven proton acceleration using ultra-short, ultra-intense laser pulses
S. Fourmaux;
S. Fourmaux
a)
1
INRS-EMT, Université du Québec, 1650 Lionel Boulet
, Varennes, Québec J3X 1S2, Canada
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S. Buffechoux;
S. Buffechoux
1
INRS-EMT, Université du Québec, 1650 Lionel Boulet
, Varennes, Québec J3X 1S2, Canada
2LULI, UMR 7605,
CNRS – CEA – Université Paris 6 – École Polytechnique
, 91128 Palaiseau, France
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B. Albertazzi;
B. Albertazzi
1
INRS-EMT, Université du Québec, 1650 Lionel Boulet
, Varennes, Québec J3X 1S2, Canada
2LULI, UMR 7605,
CNRS – CEA – Université Paris 6 – École Polytechnique
, 91128 Palaiseau, France
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D. Capelli;
D. Capelli
2LULI, UMR 7605,
CNRS – CEA – Université Paris 6 – École Polytechnique
, 91128 Palaiseau, France
3
Dipartimento SBAI, Sapienza, Universita di Roma
, Via Scarpa 16, 00161 Roma, Italy
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A. Lévy;
A. Lévy
2LULI, UMR 7605,
CNRS – CEA – Université Paris 6 – École Polytechnique
, 91128 Palaiseau, France
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S. Gnedyuk;
S. Gnedyuk
1
INRS-EMT, Université du Québec, 1650 Lionel Boulet
, Varennes, Québec J3X 1S2, Canada
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L. Lecherbourg;
L. Lecherbourg
4
Department of Physics and Institute for Optical Sciences, University of Toronto
, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A7, Canada
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P. Lassonde;
P. Lassonde
1
INRS-EMT, Université du Québec, 1650 Lionel Boulet
, Varennes, Québec J3X 1S2, Canada
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S. Payeur;
S. Payeur
1
INRS-EMT, Université du Québec, 1650 Lionel Boulet
, Varennes, Québec J3X 1S2, Canada
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P. Antici;
P. Antici
2LULI, UMR 7605,
CNRS – CEA – Université Paris 6 – École Polytechnique
, 91128 Palaiseau, France
3
Dipartimento SBAI, Sapienza, Universita di Roma
, Via Scarpa 16, 00161 Roma, Italy
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H. Pépin;
H. Pépin
1
INRS-EMT, Université du Québec, 1650 Lionel Boulet
, Varennes, Québec J3X 1S2, Canada
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R. S. Marjoribanks;
R. S. Marjoribanks
4
Department of Physics and Institute for Optical Sciences, University of Toronto
, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A7, Canada
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J. Fuchs;
J. Fuchs
2LULI, UMR 7605,
CNRS – CEA – Université Paris 6 – École Polytechnique
, 91128 Palaiseau, France
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J. C. Kieffer
J. C. Kieffer
1
INRS-EMT, Université du Québec, 1650 Lionel Boulet
, Varennes, Québec J3X 1S2, Canada
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S. Fourmaux
1,a)
S. Buffechoux
1,2
B. Albertazzi
1,2
D. Capelli
2,3
A. Lévy
2
S. Gnedyuk
1
L. Lecherbourg
4
P. Lassonde
1
S. Payeur
1
P. Antici
2,3
H. Pépin
1
R. S. Marjoribanks
4
J. Fuchs
2
J. C. Kieffer
1
1
INRS-EMT, Université du Québec, 1650 Lionel Boulet
, Varennes, Québec J3X 1S2, Canada
2LULI, UMR 7605,
CNRS – CEA – Université Paris 6 – École Polytechnique
, 91128 Palaiseau, France
3
Dipartimento SBAI, Sapienza, Universita di Roma
, Via Scarpa 16, 00161 Roma, Italy
4
Department of Physics and Institute for Optical Sciences, University of Toronto
, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1A7, Canada
a)
Electronic mail: [email protected].
Phys. Plasmas 20, 013110 (2013)
Article history
Received:
December 23 2012
Accepted:
January 14 2013
Citation
S. Fourmaux, S. Buffechoux, B. Albertazzi, D. Capelli, A. Lévy, S. Gnedyuk, L. Lecherbourg, P. Lassonde, S. Payeur, P. Antici, H. Pépin, R. S. Marjoribanks, J. Fuchs, J. C. Kieffer; Investigation of laser-driven proton acceleration using ultra-short, ultra-intense laser pulses. Phys. Plasmas 1 January 2013; 20 (1): 013110. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4789748
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