A multi-stage scintillation counter for GeV-scale multi-species ion spectroscopy in laser-driven particle...

Area of Science:

• Nuclear Physics
• Plasma Physics
• Laser-driven particle acceleration

Background:

• High-power lasers generate GeV-scale ion beams, crucial for applications but challenging to diagnose.
• Current diagnostic methods have limitations in solid angle coverage, efficiency, and real-time analysis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and validate a novel particle counting analysis (PCA) technique for angularly resolved spectral characterization of multi-species ion beams.
• To demonstrate PCA's advantages over existing diagnostic tools for laser-plasma experiments.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a multi-stage scintillation detector with a novel arrangement of scintillators.
• Employed time-of-flight and pulse-height analysis of single particle events.
• Validated the detector using a 230-MeV proton beam from a synchrotron facility.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated PCA's capability to discriminate between different ion species (protons, deuterons, carbon, oxygen) with excellent energy and mass resolution.
• Showcased PCA's potential for improved solid angle coverage, detection efficiency for GeV-ions, and real-time analysis.

Conclusions:

• PCA provides a new perspective for diagnosing GeV-scale ion beams from laser-driven sources.
• This diagnostic advancement is essential for understanding laser-plasma acceleration and developing compact accelerators.