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Towards optical polarization control of laser-driven proton acceleration in foils undergoing relativistic transparency

Author

Listed:
  • Bruno Gonzalez-Izquierdo

    (University of Strathclyde)

  • Martin King

    (University of Strathclyde)

  • Ross J. Gray

    (University of Strathclyde)

  • Robbie Wilson

    (University of Strathclyde)

  • Rachel J. Dance

    (University of Strathclyde)

  • Haydn Powell

    (University of Strathclyde)

  • David A. Maclellan

    (University of Strathclyde)

  • John McCreadie

    (University of Strathclyde)

  • Nicholas M. H. Butler

    (University of Strathclyde)

  • Steve Hawkes

    (University of Strathclyde
    Central Laser Facility, STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory)

  • James S. Green

    (Central Laser Facility, STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory)

  • Chris D. Murphy

    (University of York)

  • Luca C. Stockhausen

    (Centro de Láseres Pulsados (CLPU), M5 Parque Científico)

  • David C. Carroll

    (Central Laser Facility, STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory)

  • Nicola Booth

    (Central Laser Facility, STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory)

  • Graeme G. Scott

    (University of Strathclyde
    Central Laser Facility, STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory)

  • Marco Borghesi

    (Centre for Plasma Physics, Queens University Belfast)

  • David Neely

    (University of Strathclyde
    Central Laser Facility, STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory)

  • Paul McKenna

    (University of Strathclyde)

Abstract

Control of the collective response of plasma particles to intense laser light is intrinsic to relativistic optics, the development of compact laser-driven particle and radiation sources, as well as investigations of some laboratory astrophysics phenomena. We recently demonstrated that a relativistic plasma aperture produced in an ultra-thin foil at the focus of intense laser radiation can induce diffraction, enabling polarization-based control of the collective motion of plasma electrons. Here we show that under these conditions the electron dynamics are mapped into the beam of protons accelerated via strong charge-separation-induced electrostatic fields. It is demonstrated experimentally and numerically via 3D particle-in-cell simulations that the degree of ellipticity of the laser polarization strongly influences the spatial-intensity distribution of the beam of multi-MeV protons. The influence on both sheath-accelerated and radiation pressure-accelerated protons is investigated. This approach opens up a potential new route to control laser-driven ion sources.

Suggested Citation

  • Bruno Gonzalez-Izquierdo & Martin King & Ross J. Gray & Robbie Wilson & Rachel J. Dance & Haydn Powell & David A. Maclellan & John McCreadie & Nicholas M. H. Butler & Steve Hawkes & James S. Green & C, 2016. "Towards optical polarization control of laser-driven proton acceleration in foils undergoing relativistic transparency," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 7(1), pages 1-10, November.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:7:y:2016:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms12891
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms12891
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    Cited by:

    1. Raoul Trines & Holger Schmitz & Martin King & Paul McKenna & Robert Bingham, 2024. "Laser harmonic generation with independent control of frequency and orbital angular momentum," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-10, December.

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