LILDIA · Longwave Infrared Laser Driven Ion Accelerators

Longwave Infrared Laser Driven Ion Accelerators

Laser driven plasma accelerators are a disruptive technology developing hand-in-hand with the ongoing revolution in high power lasers. This project addressed a new avenue in the development of laser driven ion sources. Almost all research in this area is performed using optical or near-infrared laser systems, but there are important benefits in using longer wavelength drivers. This project was dedicated to investigating and optimising ion sources driven by high power long-wave infrared high power laser drivers. In particular, I made use of the possibility of using gaseous targets, which are ideal for such long wavelengths, allowing easier deployment of the source at high repetition rate. I also made use of the unprecedented diagnostic access allowed by using long wavelength drivers. The project was therefore an important step in developing a new frontier in intense laser-plasma interactions and energetic ion sources with extremely high peak current, low transverse emittance and easily varied ion species, providing a promising alternative to conventional ion sources. In the near future, these sources will be usable for applications in, for example, radiobiology and material stress studies. For example, the beams generated by laser driven ion sources is ideal for studies of the FLASH effect in radiotherapy, in which ultra-high dose rates result in increased healthy tissue sparing. This will result in improved cancer treatment. This project had several main outcomes: 1) I developed two new diagnostics to help understand the way the laser interacts with the plasma and the subsequently accelerated particles. The first was a femtosecond optical probing system, which allowed, for the first time, intrapulse interrogation of a laser driven ion source from a near critical density target. The second was the development of a scintillator based beam profile monitor, which was used to observe accelerated ions. 2) I discovered and investigated a new regime of ion generation from long wave infrared laser driven gas jets. Although producing relatively modest ion energies, the shot-to-shot stability and beam uniformity was excellent, which are important parameters for future applications 3) I investigated the role of laser contrast on ultra-high intensity laser interactions with ultra thin targets, allowing me to accelerate protons and ions up to very high energies using a relatively high repetition rate laser system, a significant step forward from previous work requiring very slow and large high energy glass based laser systems Therefore, I met the objectives of the project and at the same time have found various promising new regimes for future work. I believe the impact of this project will be long-lasting and generate further interest in using long wave infrared lasers to accelerate ions for future applications.

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