Laser ablation plasma with solenoid field confinement

Area of Science:

• Plasma Physics
• Accelerator Physics
• Ion Beam Technology

Background:

• Laser Ion Sources (LIS) produce high charge state, high intensity ion beams, suitable for heavy ion cancer therapy and accelerators.
• A key challenge for LIS is achieving long pulse widths without compromising high current intensity.
• This limitation hinders the broader application of LIS technology in advanced facilities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the use of magnetic fields to confine laser-produced plasma.
• To overcome the trade-off between pulse width and current intensity in Laser Ion Sources.
• To enhance the performance of LIS for applications requiring pulsed high-intensity ion beams.

Main Methods:

• Employing a solenoid magnetic field oriented perpendicular to the target surface.
• Confining the lateral adiabatic expansion of laser ablation plasma.
• Analyzing the characteristics of laser-produced plasma under solenoid field confinement.

Main Results:

• The solenoid field effectively suppresses the lateral expansion of laser ablation plasma.
• This confinement leads to a significant extension of the ion beam pulse width.
• The study presents detailed characteristics of the plasma behavior within the solenoid field.

Conclusions:

• Magnetic field confinement, specifically using a solenoid, is a viable strategy to extend LIS pulse width.
• This method resolves the conflict between pulse width and current intensity, enhancing LIS applicability.
• The findings pave the way for more effective heavy ion cancer therapy and future accelerator designs.