Experimental measure of proton energy loss in short pulse laser generated, proton heated carbon

We present a new approach to determining stopping power of charged particles in plasmas. We will use short pulse laser-generated protons to heat solid slab targets. The high intensity, short duration laser pulse will generate a burst of protons that isochorically heat the sample, minimizing temperature and density gradients. A second laser-generated proton beam will be sent through the heated target and the relative energy loss will be measured using a proton spectrometer. The heated target thickness will be changed, providing a measure of \textit{dE/dx}. The target conditions will be determined using Frequency Domain Interferometry for density and emissivity for temperature. The target thickness is varied, providing an avenue to determine the \textit{dE/dx}. Preliminary experimental results will be presented.