Influence of shock waves on laser-driven proton acceleration

Area of Science:

• Plasma Physics
• Laser-Matter Interaction
• Particle Acceleration

Background:

• Laser-accelerated proton beams are crucial for various applications.
• Amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) can induce shock waves and target deformation.
• Controlling proton beam direction is a key challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the influence of ASE-driven shock waves on laser-accelerated proton beams.
• To understand the mechanism of proton beam deflection.
• To identify parameters affecting the deflection magnitude.

Main Methods:

• Experimental investigation of proton beam deflection under varying laser and target parameters.
• Utilizing hydrodynamic simulations to model target deformation and shock wave propagation.
• Developing an analytic model to predict proton emission direction.

Main Results:

• ASE-driven shock waves cause local target deformation, significantly deflecting proton beams toward the laser axis.
• Deflection is enhanced with increased ASE intensity and duration, and decreased foil thickness.
• Aluminum targets show greater deflection compared to copper.
• An analytic model accurately predicts the observed proton emission direction.

Conclusions:

• ASE-induced shock waves provide a viable mechanism for steering laser-accelerated proton beams.
• A specific parameter window exists for efficient proton acceleration with target deformation.
• The findings enable better control over proton beam trajectories in laser-driven acceleration.