Dual ion species plasma expansion from isotopically layered cryogenic targets

G. G. Scott, D. C. Carroll, S. Astbury, R. J. Clarke, C. Hernandez-Gomez, M. King, A. Alejo, I. Y. Arteaga, R. J. Dance, A. Higginson, S. Hook, G. Liao, H. Liu, S. R. Mirfayzi, D. R. Rusby, M. P. Selwood, C. Spindloe, M. K. Tolley, F. Wagner, E. ZemaityteM. Borghesi, S. Kar, Y. Li, M. Roth, P. McKenna, D. Neely

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Abstract

A dual ion species plasma expansion scheme from a novel target structure is introduced, in which a nanometer thick layer of pure deuterium exists as a buffer species at the target-vacuum interface of a hydrogen plasma. Modelling shows that by controlling the deuterium layer thickness, a composite H +/D+ ion beam can be produced by TNSA, with an adjustable ratio of ion densities, as high energy proton acceleration is suppressed by the acceleration of a spectrally peaked deuteron beam. Particle in cell modelling shows that a (4.3±0.7) MeV per nucleon deuteron beam is accelerated, in a directional cone of half angle 9◦ . Experimentally, this was investigated using state of the art cryogenic targetry and a spectrally peaked deuteron beam of (3.4±0.7) MeV per nucleon was measured in a cone of half angle 7-9◦ , whilst maintaining a significant TNSA proton component.
Original languageEnglish
Number of pages6
JournalPhysical Review Letters
Volume120
Issue number20
Early online date18 May 2018
DOIs
Publication statusE-pub ahead of print - 18 May 2018

Keywords

  • dual ion species
  • plasma expansion
  • target vacuum interface
  • TNSA

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