Laser-driven proton acceleration beyond 100 MeV by radiation pressure and Coulomb repulsion in a conduction-restricted plasma.

ABSTRACT: An ultrahigh-intensity femtosecond laser can establish a longitudinal electric field stronger than 10¹³ Vm^-1 within a plasma, accelerating particles potentially to GeV over a sub-millimetre distance. Laser-accelerated protons with high brightness and picosecond duration are highly desired for applications including proton imaging and flash radiotherapy, while a major limitation is the relatively low proton energy achieved yet, primarily due to the lack of a controllable acceleration structure. Here, we report the generation of protons with a cutoff energy exceeding 110 MeV, achieved by irradiating a multi-petawatt femtosecond laser on a conduction-restricted nanometre polymer foil with a finite lateral size. The enduring obstacles in achieving ultrahigh laser contrast

SUBMITTER: Shou Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11811029 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature