title: 5.5-7.5 MeV proton generation by a moderate-intensity ultrashort-pulse laser interaction with H2O nanowire targets.
abstract: We report on the first generation of 5.5-7.5 MeV protons by a moderate-intensity short-pulse laser (∼5×10(17)  W/cm(2), 40 fsec) interacting with frozen H(2)O nanometer-size structure droplets (snow nanowires) deposited on a sapphire substrate. In this setup, the laser intensity is locally enhanced by the snow nanowire, leading to high spatial gradients. Accordingly, the nanoplasma is subject to enhanced ponderomotive potential, and confined charge separation is obtained. Electrostatic fields of extremely high intensities are produced over the short scale length, and protons are accelerated to MeV-level energies.
authors.affiliation: Racah Institute of Physics, Hebrew University, Jerusalem 91904, Israel.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zigler
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Palchan
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bruner
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Schleifer
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Eisenmann
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Botton
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Henis
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Pikuz
authors.forename: A Y
authors.initials: AY
authors.lastname: Faenov
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gordon
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sprangle