Advanced strategies for ion acceleration using high power lasers

Abstract

A short overview of laser-plasma acceleration of ions is presented. The focus is on some recent experimental results and related theoretical work on advanced regimes. These latter include in particular target normal sheath acceleration using ultrashort low-energy pulses and structured targets, radiation pressure acceleration of both thick and ultrathin targets, and collisionless shock acceleration in moderate density plasmas. For each approach, open issues and the need and potential for further developments are briefly discussed.

Invited paper from plenary talk at the 40th European Physical Society Conference on Plasma Physics (Espoo, Finland, July 1-5, 2013). To be submitted to Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion (special EPS issue). 4 figures. 2nd version implements corrections

References in corpus (6)

• Ion acceleration by superintense laser-plasma interaction
• Evidence of resonant surface wave excitation in the relativistic regime through measurements of proton acceleration from grating targets
• Towards radiation pressure acceleration of protons using linearly polarized ultrashort petawatt laser pulses
• Ion acceleration from laser-driven electrostatic shocks
• Dynamics of self-generated, large amplitude magnetic fields following high-intensity laser matter interaction
• Enhanced Proton Acceleration by an Ultrashort Laser Interaction with Structured Dynamic Plasma Targets

Cited by in corpus (4)

• Laser-Driven Rayleigh-Taylor Instability: Plasmonics Effects and Three-Dimensional Structures
• Vlasov simulation of laser-driven shock acceleration and ion turbulence
• Ion-acoustic Shocks with Self-Regulated Ion Reflection and Acceleration
• Ion shock acceleration by large amplitude double layers in laser-produced plasmas