Ultra-short pulse laser acceleration of protons to 80 MeV from cryogenic hydrogen jets tailored to near-critical density

Martin Rehwald (), Stefan Assenbaum, Constantin Bernert, Florian-Emanuel Brack, Michael Bussmann, Thomas E. Cowan, Chandra B. Curry, Frederico Fiuza, Marco Garten, Lennart Gaus, Maxence Gauthier, Sebastian Göde, Ilja Göthel, Siegfried H. Glenzer, Lingen Huang, Axel Huebl, Jongjin B. Kim, Thomas Kluge, Stephan Kraft, Florian Kroll, Josefine Metzkes-Ng, Thomas Miethlinger, Markus Loeser, Lieselotte Obst-Huebl, Marvin Reimold, Hans-Peter Schlenvoigt, Christopher Schoenwaelder, Ulrich Schramm, Mathias Siebold, Franziska Treffert, Long Yang, Tim Ziegler and Karl Zeil
Additional contact information
Martin Rehwald: Institute of Radiation Physics
Stefan Assenbaum: Institute of Radiation Physics
Constantin Bernert: Institute of Radiation Physics
Florian-Emanuel Brack: Institute of Radiation Physics
Michael Bussmann: Institute of Radiation Physics
Thomas E. Cowan: Institute of Radiation Physics
Chandra B. Curry: SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory
Frederico Fiuza: SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory
Marco Garten: Institute of Radiation Physics
Lennart Gaus: Institute of Radiation Physics
Maxence Gauthier: SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory
Sebastian Göde: European XFEL GmbH
Ilja Göthel: Institute of Radiation Physics
Siegfried H. Glenzer: SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory
Lingen Huang: Institute of Radiation Physics
Axel Huebl: Institute of Radiation Physics
Jongjin B. Kim: SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory
Thomas Kluge: Institute of Radiation Physics
Stephan Kraft: Institute of Radiation Physics
Florian Kroll: Institute of Radiation Physics
Josefine Metzkes-Ng: Institute of Radiation Physics
Thomas Miethlinger: Institute of Radiation Physics
Markus Loeser: Institute of Radiation Physics
Lieselotte Obst-Huebl: Institute of Radiation Physics
Marvin Reimold: Institute of Radiation Physics
Hans-Peter Schlenvoigt: Institute of Radiation Physics
Christopher Schoenwaelder: SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory
Ulrich Schramm: Institute of Radiation Physics
Mathias Siebold: Institute of Radiation Physics
Franziska Treffert: SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory
Long Yang: Institute of Radiation Physics
Tim Ziegler: Institute of Radiation Physics
Karl Zeil: Institute of Radiation Physics

Nature Communications, 2023, vol. 14, issue 1, 1-11

Abstract: Abstract Laser plasma-based particle accelerators attract great interest in fields where conventional accelerators reach limits based on size, cost or beam parameters. Despite the fact that particle in cell simulations have predicted several advantageous ion acceleration schemes, laser accelerators have not yet reached their full potential in producing simultaneous high-radiation doses at high particle energies. The most stringent limitation is the lack of a suitable high-repetition rate target that also provides a high degree of control of the plasma conditions required to access these advanced regimes. Here, we demonstrate that the interaction of petawatt-class laser pulses with a pre-formed micrometer-sized cryogenic hydrogen jet plasma overcomes these limitations enabling tailored density scans from the solid to the underdense regime. Our proof-of-concept experiment demonstrates that the near-critical plasma density profile produces proton energies of up to 80 MeV. Based on hydrodynamic and three-dimensional particle in cell simulations, transition between different acceleration schemes are shown, suggesting enhanced proton acceleration at the relativistic transparency front for the optimal case.

Date: 2023
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-39739-0

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