The study of high intensity ion beams driven by high power pulsed lasers is an active field of research. Of particular interest is the radiation pressure acceleration, for which simulations predict narrow band ion energies up to GeV. We derive a laser-piston model by applying techniques for non-relativistic gas-dynamics. The model reveals a laser intensity limit, below which sufficient laser-piston acceleration is impossible. The relation between target thickness and piston velocity as a function of the laser pulse length yields an approximation for the permissible target thickness. We performed one-dimensional Particle-In-Cell simulations to confirm the predictions of the analytical model. These simulations also reveal the importance of electromagnetic energy transport. We find that this energy transport limits the achievable compression and rarefies the plasma.
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June 2016
Research Article|
June 09 2016
A gas-dynamical approach to radiation pressure acceleration
Peter Schmidt
;
Peter Schmidt
a)
1
Technische Universität Darmstadt
, Accelerator Physics Group, Schlossgartenstr. 8, 64289 Darmstadt, Germany
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Oliver Boine-Frankenheim
Oliver Boine-Frankenheim
1
Technische Universität Darmstadt
, Accelerator Physics Group, Schlossgartenstr. 8, 64289 Darmstadt, Germany
2
GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung GmbH
, Beam Physics Department, Planckstr. 1, 64291 Darmstadt, Germany
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Peter Schmidt
1,a)
Oliver Boine-Frankenheim
1,2
1
Technische Universität Darmstadt
, Accelerator Physics Group, Schlossgartenstr. 8, 64289 Darmstadt, Germany
2
GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung GmbH
, Beam Physics Department, Planckstr. 1, 64291 Darmstadt, Germany
a)
E-mail: [email protected]. URL: http://www.temf.tu-darmstadt.de/.
Phys. Plasmas 23, 063106 (2016)
Article history
Received:
January 11 2016
Accepted:
May 12 2016
Citation
Peter Schmidt, Oliver Boine-Frankenheim; A gas-dynamical approach to radiation pressure acceleration. Phys. Plasmas 1 June 2016; 23 (6): 063106. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4952623
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