Efficient generation of   100 MeV ions from ultrashort   1021 W cm−2 laser pulse interaction with a waveguide target

Laser-to-ion energy conversion efficiency is important for ion-beam driven inertial confinement fusion. We propose to use a suitable plasma waveguide to enhance ion acceleration driven by an ultrashort   1021 W cm−2 laser pulse. Three-dimensional (3D) particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations show that, co...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Nuclear fusion 2019-05, Vol.59 (6)
Main Authors: Zou, D.B., Yu, D.Y., Yu, M.Y., Huang, T.W., Pukhov, A., Zhuo, H.B., Zhou, C.T., Ruan, S.C.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
fusion ignition
ion acceleration
plasma physics
ultra-intense laser
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Summary:Laser-to-ion energy conversion efficiency is important for ion-beam driven inertial confinement fusion. We propose to use a suitable plasma waveguide to enhance ion acceleration driven by an ultrashort   1021 W cm−2 laser pulse. Three-dimensional (3D) particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations show that, compared with that of the standard planar target, more than an order of magnitude increase of the maximum ion energy and energy conversion efficiency is possible. In particular, with a laser of intensity W cm−2, duration 26.7 fs and energy 0.85 J, 3D PIC simulations show that one can obtain 46 MeV protons and 150 MeV carbon ions, and   15% laser-to-ion energy conversion efficiency.
ISSN:0029-5515
1741-4326
DOI:10.1088/1741-4326/ab1121