Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 9, 2026
07:54
Experimental Methods of Dust Charging and Mobilization on Surfaces with Exposure to Ultraviolet Radiation or Plasmas
Published on: April 3, 2018
Transient electrostatic fields and related energetic proton generation with a plasma fiber
Z L Chen1, G R Kumar, Z M Sheng
1Institute of Laser Engineering, Osaka University, 2-6 Yamada-oka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan. zhenglinchen@hotmail.com
Physical Review Letters
|April 12, 2006
Summary
High-power lasers interacting with cone-fiber targets create unique proton structures. A radial electric field accelerates protons, forming hollow patterns and rings, as confirmed by simulations.
Area of Science:
- Laser-plasma interactions
- High-energy particle acceleration
- Advanced targetry in physics
Background:
- Proton beam generation is crucial for various applications.
- Understanding particle dynamics in laser-matter interactions is complex.
- Novel target geometries like cone-fibers offer unique interaction possibilities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate proton acceleration mechanisms using a cone-fiber target.
- To analyze the spatial distribution and origins of accelerated protons.
- To characterize the transient electric fields generated during laser interaction.
Main Methods:
- Experimental observation of proton images from petawatt laser interactions.
- Analysis of proton trajectories and angular distributions.
- Two-dimensional particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations for theoretical validation.
Main Results:
- Observation of distinct hollow structures and fine rings in proton images.
- Protons forming hollow structures originate from the cone-tip and are deflected radially.
- Protons forming the ring are accelerated by a strong radial electric field (decaying within 3 ps, ~5x10^12 V/m).
- PIC simulations successfully reproduced the observed proton angular distributions.
Conclusions:
- The cone-fiber target geometry facilitates distinct proton acceleration pathways.
- A transient radial electric field plays a critical role in shaping proton emission patterns.
- Simulations support the experimental findings, validating the proposed acceleration mechanisms.
Related Concept Videos
01:10Generating Electromagnetic Radiations
The German physicist Heinrich Hertz (1857–1894) was the first to generate and detect certain types of electromagnetic waves in the laboratory. Starting in 1887, he performed a series of experiments that confirmed the existence of electromagnetic waves and verified that they travel at the speed of light. Hertz used an alternating-current RLC (resistor-inductor-capacitor) circuit that resonated at a known frequency and connected it to a loop of wire. High voltages induced across the gap in the...
01:30Electromagnetic Waves
James Clerk Maxwell formulated a single theory combining all the electric and magnetic effects scientists knew during that time, calling the phenomena his theory predicted “Electromagnetic waves”. He brought together all the work that had been done by brilliant physicists such as Oersted, Coulomb, Gauss, and Faraday and added his own insights to develop the overarching theory of electromagnetism. Maxwell’s equations, combined with the Lorentz force law, encompass all the laws of electricity and...
01:15Van de Graaff Generator
Van de Graaff generators (or Van de Graaffs) are devices used to demonstrate high voltage due to static electricity that can also be used for research. Robert Van de Graaff first built one in 1931 (based on original suggestions by Lord Kelvin) for use in nuclear physics research.
Van de Graaff uses both smooth and pointed surfaces, conductors, and insulators to generate large static charges and, hence, large voltages. A substantial excess charge can be deposited on the sphere because it moves...
Van de Graaff uses both smooth and pointed surfaces, conductors, and insulators to generate large static charges and, hence, large voltages. A substantial excess charge can be deposited on the sphere because it moves...
01:30Plane Electromagnetic Waves I
The existence of combined electric and magnetic fields that propagate through space as electromagnetic (EM) waves is the most significant prediction of Maxwell's equations. As Maxwell's equations hold in free space, the predicted electromagnetic waves do not require a medium for their propagation. An EM wave comprises an electric field, defined as the force per charge on a stationary charge, and a magnetic field, which is the force per charge on a moving charge.
The EM field is assumed to be a...
The EM field is assumed to be a...
01:31Electromagnetic Fields
Electric fields generated by static charges, often referred to as electrostatic fields, are characteristically different from electric fields created by time-varying magnetic fields. While the former is a conservative field, implying that no net work is done on a test charge if it goes around in a complete loop in the field, the latter is, by definition, not a conservative field; net work is done, and it is proportional to the rate of change of magnetic flux.
However, the observation of Gauss's...
However, the observation of Gauss's...
01:20Atomic Emission Spectroscopy: Overview
Atomic emission spectroscopy (AES) is an analytical technique used to determine the elemental composition of a sample by analyzing the light emitted from excited atoms. In AES, atoms in a sample are excited to higher energy levels by thermal energy from high-temperature sources, such as plasma, arcs, or sparks. When these excited atoms return to lower energy states, they emit light at specific wavelengths characteristic of each element. The resulting atomic emission spectrum, which consists of...