title: Coulomb-driven energy boost of heavy ions for laser-plasma acceleration.
abstract: An unprecedented increase of kinetic energy of laser accelerated heavy ions is demonstrated. Ultrathin gold foils have been irradiated by an ultrashort laser pulse at a peak intensity of 8×10^{19}  W/  cm^{2}. Highly charged gold ions with kinetic energies up to >200  MeV and a bandwidth limited energy distribution have been reached by using 1.3 J laser energy on target. 1D and 2D particle in cell simulations show how a spatial dependence on the ion's ionization leads to an enhancement of the accelerating electrical field. Our theoretical model considers a spatial distribution of the ionization inside the thin target, leading to a field enhancement for the heavy ions by Coulomb explosion. It is capable of explaining the energy boost of highly charged ions, enabling a higher efficiency for the laser-driven heavy ion acceleration.
authors: Max Born Institute, Max Born Strasse 2A, 12489 Berlin, Germany.|Technical University Berlin, Strasse des 17. Juni 135, 10623 Berlin, Germany.
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Braenzel
authors: Max Born Institute, Max Born Strasse 2A, 12489 Berlin, Germany.|Vavilov State Optical Institute, Birzhevaya line 12, 199064 St. Petersburg, Russia.|St. Petersburg University, University emb.7, St. Petersburg 199034, Russia.
authors: A A
authors: AA
authors: Andreev
authors: Vavilov State Optical Institute, Birzhevaya line 12, 199064 St. Petersburg, Russia.
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Platonov
authors: IHP, Im Technologiepark 25, 15236 Frankfurt, Germany.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Klingsporn
authors: Max Born Institute, Max Born Strasse 2A, 12489 Berlin, Germany.
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Ehrentraut
authors: Max Born Institute, Max Born Strasse 2A, 12489 Berlin, Germany.|Technical University Berlin, Strasse des 17. Juni 135, 10623 Berlin, Germany.|ELI-DC International Association AISBL, Platanenallee 6, Zeuthen 15738, Germany.
authors: W
authors: W
authors: Sandner
authors: Max Born Institute, Max Born Strasse 2A, 12489 Berlin, Germany.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Schnürer
mesh_terms: D006046:Gold / Q000737:chemistry; D020450:Heavy Ions; D007834:Lasers; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D010315:Particle Accelerators; D013816:Thermodynamics
chemical_list: D006046:Gold