Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 13, 2026
Automated Delivery of Microfabricated Targets for Intense Laser Irradiation Experiments
Published on: January 28, 2021
Intense high-energy proton beams from Petawatt-laser irradiation of solids
R A Snavely1, M H Key, S P Hatchett
1Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, University of California, P. O. Box 808, Livermore, California 94550, USA.
Abstract:
An intense collimated beam of high-energy protons is emitted normal to the rear surface of thin solid targets irradiated at 1 PW power and peak intensity 3x10(20) W cm(-2). Up to 48 J ( 12%) of the laser energy is transferred to 2x10(13) protons of energy >10 MeV. The energy spectrum exhibits a sharp high-energy cutoff as high as 58 MeV on the axis of the beam which decreases in energy with increasing off axis angle. Proton induced nuclear processes have been observed and used to characterize the beam.
