Ion Acceleration in High Contrast High Intensity Laser Interaction with Thin Film and Membrane Targets

POSTER

Abstract

We present the experimental results on ions acceleration from thin film and membrane targets using the 300TW 30fs HERCULES Laser Facility. The utilization of an F/1 parabolic mirror allow for on target intensities of up to 1022 W/cm2. Use of dual plasma mirrors as well as crossed-polarized wave generation allows for the ASE pedestal to peak intensity contrast of over 10-13. We perfomed measurements of protons from the back side of foils as well as ions generated from 20-200 nanometers thickness silicon nitride membranes using a Thomson parabola spectrometer coupled to a microchannel plate with readout to a CCD. Detailed 2D-PIC computer modeling of these interactions will also be presented and compared to the experimental data.

*This work was supported by the NSF grant PHY-0114336.

Authors

  • Franklin Dollar

    • University of Michigan, USA
    • Center for Ultrafast Optical Sciences, Univ. of Michigan

  • Takeshi Matsuoka

    • Center for Ultrafast Optical Sciences, Univ. of Michigan

  • Chris McGuffey

    • Center for Ultrafast Optical Sciences, Univ. of Michigan

  • Louise Willingale

    • Center for Ultrafast Optical Sciences, Univ. of Michigan

  • Stepan Bulanov

    • Center for Ultrafast Optical Sciences, Univ. of Michigan

  • Vladamir Chvykov

    • Center for Ultrafast Optical Sciences, Univ. of Michigan

  • Galina Kalintchenko

    • Center for Ultrafast Optical Sciences, Univ. of Michigan

  • Pascale Rousseau

    • Center for Ultrafast Optical Sciences, Univ. of Michigan

  • Victor Yanovsky

    • Center for Ultrafast Optical Sciences, Univ. of Michigan

  • Alec Thomas

    • Center for Ultrafast Optical Sciences, Univ. of Michigan

  • Anatoly Maksimchuk

    • Center for Ultrafast Optical Sciences, Univ. of Michigan

  • Karl Krushelnick

    • Center for Ultrafast Optical Sciences, Univ. of Michigan