The Integrated laser-driven ion accelerator system; Concept and requirements for laser-driven ion beam radiotherapy

Bolton, P.; Abe, Mitsuyuki*; Akagi, Takashi*; Nuesslin, F.*; Hori, Toshihiko; Iwashita, Yoshihisa*; Kawanishi, Shunichi; Kondo, Kiminori; Maeda, Takuya; Molls, M.*; Murakami, Masao*; Nagayama, Shinichi*; Nishiuchi, Mamiko; Noda, Akira*; Noda, Koji*; Nakamura, Shu*; Sakaki, Hironao; Soda, Hikaru*; Shirai, Toshiyuki*; Tajima, Toshiki; Tongu, Hiromu*

The rapid advancement of high power laser technology combined with laser-accelerated ion yields from intense laser-plasma interactions sustains a strong interest in the development of integrated laser-driven ion accelerator systems (ILDIAS) that can be used for laser-driven ion beam radiotherapy (L-IBRT). A prime motivation is the promise of significantly reduced size and cost that would afford much greater patient access. Bunch duration of several nanoseconds and high peak current (with a low duty factor) make laser-driven ion irradiation unique. En route to a compact laser-driven "clinical" radiotherapeutic facility it is essential to develop multipurpose "preclinical" or test beamlines that can be used for (1) testing suitable transport optics, diagnostics and control instrumentation, (2) medical and radiobiological studies at the cellular level and in tissue to validate the radiobiological effectiveness of laser-driven ion beam radiotherapy and (3) applications to nonmedical science and technology. Preclinical and clinical beamline development calls for delivering proton energies near 50 MeV and at least 80 MeV respectively with beam energy spread and dose accuracy at one to few percent levels. Control instrumentation and diagnostics capable of single bunch resolution at required repetition rates will be essential to verify and optimize ILDIAS machine performance and capability. In the context of L-IBRT we will discuss the ILDIAS concept as well as beam delivery and instrumentation requirements.