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SYKL: Symposium Kernphysik mit starken Laserfeldern

SYKL 2: Photo-nuclear reactions and MeV particle acceleration

SYKL 2.1: Invited Talk

Tuesday, March 11, 2008, 11:00–11:30, 1A

Acceleration of particles by short ultra-intense laser pulses — •Oswald Willi — Institut für Laser- und Plasmaphysik, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany

The recent demonstration of the acceleration of energetic electrons, protons and ions by irradiation of matter by intense laser pulses has opened new perspectives for major applications in scientific, technological and medical areas. Quasi mono-energetic electrons with an energy up to one GeV and quasi mono-energetic protons in the several MeV range have been observed in recent experiments. These beams have interesting properties including small source size, high degree of collimation, short duration and large number densities allowing many potential novel applications. One of the applications is the diagnosis of high-density plasmas using protons allowing the transient electric and magnetic field generation mechanisms in laser-produced plasmas to be studied. For example, the electric fields responsible for the acceleration and expansion of multi-MeV protons from the rear surface of thin solid foils irradiated by an intense laser pulse or the electric fields inside a laser irradiated hollow metal cylinder which acts as an electrostatic micro-lens for proton focusing and energy selection can be measured. In addition, magnetic fields produced inside high density plasmas can be studied. In the presentation a summary of the latest experimental studies investigating electric and magnetic fields in laser produced plasmas will be discussed.