Target normal sheath acceleration by fs laser and advanced carbon foils with gold films and nanoparticles

0524444 - ÚJF 2021 RIV US eng J - Journal Article
Torrisi, L. - Rosinski, M. - Cutroneo, Mariapompea - Torrisi, Alfio
Target normal sheath acceleration by fs laser and advanced carbon foils with gold films and nanoparticles.
Physics of Plasmas. Roč. 27, č. 4 (2020), č. článku 043107. ISSN 1070-664X. E-ISSN 1089-7674
R&D Projects: GA MŠMT LM2015056; GA MŠMT EF16_013/0001812; GA ČR GA19-02482S
Institutional support: RVO:61389005
Keywords : ion sources * laser produced plasmas * SiC detectors
OECD category: Fluids and plasma physics (including surface physics)
Impact factor: 2.023, year: 2020
Method of publishing: Open access
https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0004834

Thin foils of graphene oxide (GO) are irradiated by a fs titanium sapphire laser at an intensity of about 10(19) W/cm(2) in high vacuum. The produced plasma in the forward direction accelerates ions in a regime of target-normal-sheath-acceleration, thanks to the relativistic electron emission from the target surface and to their emission from the rear foil surface, generating a high electric field pulse with the positive target. The ion acceleration is measured mainly using SiC detectors in the time-of-flight configuration. Adding gold as nanoparticles or as a thin coverage film, the ion acceleration is enhanced as a result of a higher plasma electron density. The optimal acceleration is reached by varying the GO thickness, the Au nanoparticle concentration, the thin Au film thickness, and the irradiation conditions. Particularly important is the laser focal position with respect to the target surface, which is responsible for different acceleration values. In the used experimental conditions, a maximum proton energy of 2.6MeV was obtained and the best modality to add Au atoms to the target is discussed.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0308805