Online charge measurement for petawatt laser-driven ion acceleration

Area of Science:

• Physics
• Medical Physics
• Accelerator Science

Background:

• Laser-driven ion beams show promise for radiotherapy due to their high dose rates.
• Accurate dosimetry is crucial for radiobiological studies using these beams.
• Existing dosimetry methods may not be suitable for the unique characteristics of laser-driven beams.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and validate the Integrating Current Transformer (ICT) as a dosimetry tool for laser-driven ion accelerators.
• To demonstrate the ICT's capability for online charge measurement of ion bunches.
• To assess the ICT's utility in radiobiological experiments and beamline optimization.

Main Methods:

• Implementation of an Integrating Current Transformer (ICT) as a non-invasive diagnostic.
• Measurement of ion bunch charge for each laser shot.
• Correlation of ICT measurements with established diagnostics: radiochromic films, Thomson parabola spectrometer, and scintillator.

Main Results:

• The ICT was successfully used for online monitoring of laser-driven ion bunch charge.
• The ICT provides reliable online dose estimates for radiobiological experiments.
• The diagnostic facilitates efficient ion beam tuning, including laser ion source optimization and beamline alignment.

Conclusions:

• The Integrating Current Transformer (ICT) is a viable and effective diagnostic for laser-driven ion accelerators.
• This technology enables precise dosimetry, crucial for advancing radiotherapy research.
• The ICT contributes to improved beam quality and experimental reproducibility in laser-driven ion beam applications.