title: Efficient quasi-monoenergetic ion beams from laser-driven relativistic plasmas.
abstract: Table-top laser-plasma ion accelerators have many exciting applications, many of which require ion beams with simultaneous narrow energy spread and high conversion efficiency. However, achieving these requirements has been elusive. Here we report the experimental demonstration of laser-driven ion beams with narrow energy spread and energies up to 18 MeV per nucleon and ∼5% conversion efficiency (that is 4 J out of 80-J laser). Using computer simulations we identify a self-organizing scheme that reduces the ion energy spread after the laser exits the plasma through persisting self-generated plasma electric (∼10(12) V m(-1)) and magnetic (∼10(4) T) fields. These results contribute to the development of next generation compact accelerators suitable for many applications such as isochoric heating for ion-fast ignition and producing warm dense matter for basic science.
authors.affiliation: Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, USA.
authors.forename: Sasi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Palaniyappan
authors.affiliation: Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, USA.
authors.forename: Chengkun
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, USA.
authors.forename: Donald C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Gautier
authors.affiliation: Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, USA.
authors.forename: Christopher E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Hamilton
authors.affiliation: Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, USA.
authors.forename: Miguel A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Santiago
authors.affiliation: Ludwig-Maximilian-University, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kreuzer
authors.affiliation: Sandia National Laboratory, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185, USA.
authors.forename: Adam B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Sefkow
authors.affiliation: Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, USA.
authors.forename: Rahul C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.affiliation: Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, USA.
authors.forename: Juan C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Fernández