Particle in cell simulation of laser-accelerated proton beams for radiation therapy

• Published in: Medical physics (Lancaster) 2002-12, Vol.29 (12), p.2788-2798
• Main Authors: Fourkal, E., Shahine, B., Ding, M., Li, J. S., Tajima, T., Ma, C.-M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Accelerators; Cell processes; cellular effects of radiation; Computer Simulation; dosimetry; Dosimetry/exposure assessment; High pressure; Intense particle beams; intensity modulation; Kinematics; laser applications in medicine; Laser plasma acceleration; Laser plasma interactions; Lasers; laser–plasma interaction; laser–proton acceleration; Monte Carlo Method; Monte Carlo methods; Particle‐in‐cell method; plasma interactions; Plasma materials processing; proton accelerators; proton beams; proton radiotherapy; Protons; radiation therapy; Radiation therapy equipment; Radiation treatment; Radiotherapy Planning, Computer-Assisted - methods; Radiotherapy, Conformal - methods; simulation
• ISSN: 0094-2405; 2473-4209
• DOI: 10.1118/1.1521122

In this article we present the results of particle in cell (PIC) simulations of laser plasma interaction for proton acceleration for radiation therapy treatments. We show that under optimal interaction conditions protons can be accelerated up to relativistic energies of 300 MeV by a petawatt laser field. The proton acceleration is due to the dragging Coulomb force arising from charge separation induced by the ponderomotive pressure (light pressure) of high-intensity laser. The proton energy and phase space distribution functions obtained from the PIC simulations are used in the calculations of dose distributions using the GEANT Monte Carlo simulation code. Because of the broad energy and angular spectra of the protons, a compact particle selection and beam collimation system will be needed to generate small beams of polyenergetic protons for intensity modulated proton therapy.