Ion acceleration by the interaction between ultra-high intensity laser and thin-foil target

Nishiuchi, Mamiko

Since the first observation of the energetic protons from the interaction between the short pulse high intensity laser and the thin-foil target, extensive studies have been carried out for more than 15 years. In the early period, the laser energy of kilo joule level is necessary to accelerate the protons more than 50 MeV. Such a large amount of laser energy is supplied only by a huge laser system, which typically is unable to make repetitive operation. However, thanks to the progresses in the laser technology, protons having the energies almost 50 MeV are successfully accelerated by the laser system with only less than 10 J of energy and with the capability of repetitive operation. These facts really show the advance of the laser-driven ion acceleration towards the possible fields of applications. Here in this paper the characteristics, the mechanisms and the recent experimental results of the laser-driven proton acceleration are shown.