Automated Delivery of Microfabricated Targets for Intense Laser Irradiation Experiments

Area of Science:

• Physics
• Engineering
• Materials Science

Background:

• High-power laser-matter interactions are crucial for applications like particle acceleration.
• Existing target delivery systems often limit repetition rates in laser experiments.
• Microfabricated targets offer precise control for laser-driven experiments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe an experimental procedure for high-power laser irradiation of microfabricated targets.
• To detail the fabrication process for these specialized targets.
• To present results and discuss future prospects for high-repetition-rate operation.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a closed feedback loop with a target manipulator and ranging sensor for precise target positioning.
• Developed a detailed microfabrication process for targets.
• Irradiated 600 nm thick gold foils with high-power lasers.

Main Results:

• Successfully generated MeV-level proton beams.
• Achieved a stable experimental repetition rate of 0.2 Hz.
• Compared the system's performance with other replenishable target systems.

Conclusions:

• The described experimental procedure enables efficient high-power laser irradiation of microfabricated targets.
• The system shows promise for generating high-quality proton beams.
• Future work can focus on increasing the shot rate to over 10 Hz for advanced applications.