Abstract
The acceleration of light ions (protons) through the interaction of a high-power laser pulse with a double-layer target is theoretically studied by means of two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations and a one-dimensional analytical model. It is shown that the maximum energy acquired by the accelerated light ions (protons) depends on the physical characteristics of a heavy-ion layer (electron-ion mass ratio and effective charge state of the ions). In our theoretical model, the hydrodynamic equations for both electron and heavy-ion species are solved and the test-particle approximation for the light ions (protons) is applied. The heavy-ion motion is found to modify the longitudinal electric field distribution, thus changing the acceleration conditions for the protons.
Original language | English |
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Article number | 036412 |
Pages (from-to) | 036412 |
Journal | Physical Review E |
Volume | 71 |
Issue number | 3 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Mar 2005 |
Keywords
- Biophysics/methods
- Computer Simulation
- Electrons
- Ions
- Lasers
- Models, Statistical
- Protons