title: Particle in cell simulation of laser-accelerated proton beams for radiation therapy.
abstract: In this article we present the results of particle in cell (PIC) simulations of laser plasma interaction for proton acceleration for radiation therapy treatments. We show that under optimal interaction conditions protons can be accelerated up to relativistic energies of 300 MeV by a petawatt laser field. The proton acceleration is due to the dragging Coulomb force arising from charge separation induced by the ponderomotive pressure (light pressure) of high-intensity laser. The proton energy and phase space distribution functions obtained from the PIC simulations are used in the calculations of dose distributions using the GEANT Monte Carlo simulation code. Because of the broad energy and angular spectra of the protons, a compact particle selection and beam collimation system will be needed to generate small beams of polyenergetic protons for intensity modulated proton therapy.
authors.affiliation: Radiation Oncology Department, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19111, USA. e_fourkal@fccc.edu
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fourkal
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Shahine
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tajima
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Ma
mesh_terms: D003198:Computer Simulation; D007834:Lasers; D009010:Monte Carlo Method; D011522:Protons; D011880:Radiotherapy Planning, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D020266:Radiotherapy, Conformal / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D011522:Protons