Angular-Resolved Thomson Parabola Spectrometer for Laser-Driven Ion Accelerators.

Area of Science:

• Plasma Physics
• Particle Accelerators
• Laser-driven Ion Acceleration

Background:

• Laser-driven ion acceleration produces high-energy ion beams crucial for various applications.
• Distinguishing between different ion species (e.g., protons, carbon ions) with varying charge-to-mass ratios is essential for beam characterization.
• Existing diagnostic tools may lack the necessary angular resolution or high repetition rate capabilities for these beams.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and experimentally validate an angle-resolved Thomson parabola spectrometer.
• To enable the distinction of ionic species with different charge-to-mass ratios in multi-MeV laser-accelerated ion beams.
• To ensure compatibility with high repetition rate laser systems.

Main Methods:

• Construction of an angle-resolved Thomson parabola spectrometer utilizing an array of entrance pinholes.
• Integration of a microchannel plate (MCP) detector for high repetition rate compatibility.
• Development of a relativistic code for trajectory calculation, including a full characterization of the Thomson parabola magnetic field.
• Experimental testing at the 1PW VEGA 3 laser facility.

Main Results:

• Successful detection of up to 15 MeV protons and carbon ions from laser-irradiated aluminum foil.
• Demonstration of the spectrometer's ability to resolve different ion species based on their trajectories.
• Validation of the adjustable angular resolving power by modifying experimental geometry and pinhole arrays.
• Confirmation of high repetition rate compatibility through the use of the MCP detector.

Conclusions:

• The developed angle-resolved Thomson parabola spectrometer is a versatile and effective diagnostic for laser-accelerated ion beams.
• The instrument's design allows for flexible analysis of ion species and trajectories.
• The successful experimental tests confirm its capability for characterizing multi-MeV ion beams at high repetition rates.