Broad energy spectrum of laser-accelerated protons for spallation-related physics.
A beam of MeV protons, accelerated by ultraintense laser-pulse interactions with a thin target foil, is used to investigate nuclear reactions of interest for spallation physics. The laser-generated proton beam is shown (protons were measured) to have a broad energy distribution, which closely resembles the expected energy spectrum of evaporative protons (below 50 MeV) produced in GeV-proton-induced spallation reactions. The protons are used to quantify the distribution of residual radioisotopes produced in a representative spallation target (Pb), and the results are compared with calculated predictions based on spectra modeled with nuclear Monte Carlo codes. Laser-plasma particle accelerators are shown to provide data relevant to the design and development of accelerator driven systems.
McKenna
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P
Department of Physics, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow G4 0NG, Scotland, United Kingdom. p.mckenna@phys.strath.ac.uk
Ledingham
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KW
Shimizu
S
S
Yang
J M
JM
Robson
L
L
McCanny
T
T
Galy
J
J
Magill
J
J
Clarke
R J
RJ
Neely
D
D
Norreys
P A
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Singhal
R P
RP
Krushelnick
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K
Wei
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MS