Dynamics of guided post-acceleration of protons in a laser-driven travelling-field accelerator

0537029 - FZÚ 2021 RIV GB eng J - Journal Article
Hadjisolomou, Prokopis - Ahmed, H. - Prasad, R. - Cerchez, M. - Brauckmann, S. - Aurand, B. - Schroer, A.M. - Swantusch, M. - Willi, O. - Borghesi, M. - Kar, S.
Dynamics of guided post-acceleration of protons in a laser-driven travelling-field accelerator.
Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion. Roč. 62, č. 11 (2020), s. 1-9, č. článku 115023. ISSN 0741-3335. E-ISSN 1361-6587
R&D Projects: GA MŠMT EF15_003/0000449
Grant - others:OP VVV - HiFi(XE) CZ.02.1.01/0.0/0.0/15_003/0000449
Institutional support: RVO:68378271
Keywords : laser * proton * post-acceleration * helical coil
OECD category: Nuclear physics
Impact factor: 2.458, year: 2020
Method of publishing: Limited access
https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6587/abb91a

By directing the laser-driven electromagnetic pulses along a helical path, one can achieve a travelling-field accelerator arrangement for simultaneous beam shaping and re-acceleration of laser-accelerated protons. The dynamics of guided acceleration of the transiting protons was studied by varying the length of the helical coil. Experimental data shows that the protons co-moving with the field region exhibit stronger focussing while increasing the coil length, with an increase of kinetic energy due to simultaneous post-acceleration. The net energy gain for a coil of constant pitch however saturates eventually when the post-accelerated protons overtakes the accelerating field region in due course. 3D particle tracing simulation underpins the dynamics of beam transport inside the coil, which highlights the requirement for a variable pitch coil geometry in order to sustain the post-acceleration over an extended coil.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0314785