Enhancement of Maximum Attainable Ion Energy in the Radiation Pressure Acceleration Regime Using a Guiding Structure

S. S. Bulanov, E. Esarey, C. B. Schroeder, S. V. Bulanov, T. Zh. Esirkepov, M. Kando, F. Pegoraro, and W. P. Leemans

Phys. Rev. Lett. 114, 105003 – Published 13 March 2015

Abstract

Radiation pressure acceleration is a highly efficient mechanism of laser-driven ion acceleration, with the laser energy almost totally transferrable to the ions in the relativistic regime. There is a fundamental limit on the maximum attainable ion energy, which is determined by the group velocity of the laser. In the case of tightly focused laser pulses, which are utilized to get the highest intensity, another factor limiting the maximum ion energy comes into play, the transverse expansion of the target. Transverse expansion makes the target transparent for radiation, thus reducing the effectiveness of acceleration. Utilization of an external guiding structure for the accelerating laser pulse may provide a way of compensating for the group velocity and transverse expansion effects.

Received 30 October 2013

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.114.105003

Authors & Affiliations

S. S. Bulanov¹, E. Esarey², C. B. Schroeder², S. V. Bulanov^3,4,5, T. Zh. Esirkepov³, M. Kando³, F. Pegoraro⁶, and W. P. Leemans^1,2

¹University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
²Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, USA
³Kansai Photon Science Institute, JAEA, Kizugawa, Kyoto 619-0215, Japan
⁴Prokhorov Institute of General Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 119991, Russia
⁵Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Dolgoprudny, Moscow Region 141700, Russia
⁶Physics Department, University of Pisa and Istituto Nazionale di Ottica, CNR, Pisa 56127, Italy