title: High-intensity laser induced ion acceleration from heavy-water droplets.
abstract: Fusion neutrons from a heavy water droplet target irradiated with laser pulses of 3 x 10(19) W/cm(2) and from a deuterated secondary target are observed by a time-of-flight (TOF) neutron spectrometer. The observed TOF spectrum can be explained by fusion of deuterium ions simultaneously originating from two different sources: ion acceleration in the laser focus by ponderomotively induced charge separation and target-normal sheath acceleration off the target rear surface. The experimental findings agree well with 3D particle-in-cell simulations.
authors.affiliation: Max-Planck-Institut für Quantenoptik, 85748 Garching, Germany.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Karsch
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Düsterer
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schwoerer
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ewald
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Habs
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hegelich
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pretzler
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pukhov
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Witte
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sauerbrey