Energetic heavy-Ion and proton generation from ultraintense laser-plasma interactions with solids
Heavy ions with energies up to 430+/-40 MeV have been measured from laser-solid interactions at focused intensities of up to 5x10(19) W/cm(2). Observations of proton emission indicate significant structure in the energy spectrum as well as an angular emission profile which varies with energy. Two qualitatively different components of ion emission are observed: (i) a high-energy component which is likely generated by a combination of "Coulomb explosion" and acceleration by the space charge force from hot electrons which escape the plasma, and (ii) a lower-energy component which forms a ring likely created by magnetic fields in the ablated plasma.
Clark
EL
Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, London SW7 2BZ, United Kingdom and Radiation Physics Department, AWE, Aldermaston, Reading, RG7 4PR, United Kingdom.
Krushelnick
K
Zepf
M
Beg
FN
Tatarakis
M
Machacek
A
Santala
MI
Watts
I
Norreys
PA
Dangor
AE