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All-optical structuring of laser-driven proton beam profiles

Obst-Hübl, L.; Ziegler, T.; Brack, F.-E.; Branco, J.; Bussmann, M.; Cowan, T. E.; Curry, C. B.; Fiuza, F.; Garten, M.; Gauthier, M.; Göde, S.; Glenzer, S. H.; Huebl, A.; Irman, A.; Kim, J. B.; Kluge, T.; Kraft, S.; Kroll, F.; Metzkes-Ng, J.; Pausch, R.; Prencipe, I.; Rehwald, M.; Rödel, C.; Schlenvoigt, H.-P.; Schramm, U.; Zeil, K.

Extreme field gradients intrinsic to relativistic laser-interactions with thin solid targets enable compact MeV proton accelerators with unique bunch characteristics. Yet, direct control of the proton beam profile is usually not possible. Here we present a readily applicable all-optical approach to imprint detailed spatial information from the driving laser pulse onto the proton bunch. In a series of experiments, counter-intuitively, the spatial profile of the energetic proton bunch was found to exhibit identical structures as the fraction of the laser pulse passing around a target of limited size.
Such information transfer between the laser pulse and the naturally delayed proton bunch is attributed to the formation of quasi-static electric fields in the beam path by ionization of residual gas. Essentially acting as a programmable memory, these fields provide access to a higher level of proton beam manipulation.

Keywords: laser plasma interaction; laser particle acceleration; novel accelerator concepts; high performance computing; high power lasers

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Permalink: https://www.hzdr.de/publications/Publ-28155
Publ.-Id: 28155