Fast magnetic-field annihilation in the relativistic collisionless regime driven by two ultrashort high-intensity laser pulses

Gu, Y. J.*; Klimo, O.*; Kumar, D.*; Liu, Y.*; Singh, S. K.*; Esirkepov, T. Z.; Bulanov, S. V.; Weber, S.*; Korn, G.*

Physical Review E, 93(1), p.013203_1 - 013203_6, 2016/01

AA2015-0783.pdf:3.92MB

https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.93.013203

The magnetic quadrupole structure formation during the interaction of two ultrashort high power laser pulses with a collisionless plasma is demonstrated with 2.5-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations. The subsequent expansion of the quadrupole is accompanied by magnetic-field annihilation in the ultrarelativistic regime, when the magnetic field cannot be sustained by the plasma current.

Fast magnetic field annihilation driven by two laser pulses in underdense plasma

Gu, Y. J.*; Klimo, O.*; Kumar, D.*; Bulanov, S. V.; Esirkepov, T. Z.; Weber, S.*; Korn, G.*

Physics of Plasmas, 22(10), p.103113_1 - 103113_9, 2015/10

AA2015-0547.pdf:4.08MB

https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4933408

The magnetic field generated by the laser pulses annihilates in a current sheet formed between the pulses. Magnetic field energy is converted to an inductive longitudinal electric field, which efficiently accelerates the electrons of the current sheet. This new regime of collision less relativistic magnetic field annihilation with a timescale of tens of femtoseconds can be extended to near-critical and overdense plasma with the ultra-high intensity femtosecond laser pulses.

Helium-3 and Helium-4 acceleration by high power laser pulses for hadron therapy

Bulanov, S. S.*; Esarey, E.*; Schroeder, C. B.*; Leemans, W.*; Bulanov, S. V.; Margarone, D.*; Korn, G.*; Haberer, T.*

Physical Review Special Topics; Accelerators and Beams, 18(6), p.061302_1 - 061302_6, 2015/06

AA2015-0189.pdf:0.52MB

https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevSTAB.18.061302

We show that He ions, having almost the same penetration depth as He with the same energy per nucleon, require less laser power to be accelerated to the required energy for the hadron therapy.

Laser ion acceleration for hadron therapy

Bulanov, S. V.; Wilkens, J. J.*; Esirkepov, T. Z.; Korn, G.*; Kraft, G.*; Kraft, S. D.*; Molls, M.*; Khoroshkov, V. S.*

Physics-Uspekhi, 57(12), p.1149 - 1179, 2014/00

https://doi.org/10.3367/UFNe.0184.201412a.1265

The paper examines the prospects of using laser plasma as a source of high-energy ions for the purposes of hadron beam therapy - possibility which is expected not only on theoretical grounds but also on experimental grounds (ions are routinely observed to be accelerated in the interaction of high-power laser radiation with matter). Compared to therapy accelerators like cyclotrons, laser technology is advantageous in that it is more compact and is simpler in delivering ions from the accelerator to the treatment room. Special target designs allow the radiation therapy requirements on ion beam quality to be satisfied.

On the design of experiments to study extreme field limits

Bulanov, S. S.*; Chen, M.*; Schroeder, C. B.*; Esarey, E.*; Leemans, W. P.*; Bulanov, S. V.; Esirkepov, T. Z.; 神門 正城; Koga, J. K.; Zhidkov, A. G.*; et al.

AIP Conference Proceedings 1507, p.825 - 830, 2012/12

https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4773805

We propose the experiments on the collision of intense laser pulses with energetic electron bunches and on the collision of two or more intense laser pulses for studying extreme field limits in the nonlinear interaction of electromagnetic waves. The regimes of dominant radiation reaction, which completely changes the electromagnetic wave matter interaction, will be revealed in such experiments. This will result in a new powerful source of ultra short high brightness -ray pulses. A possibility of the demonstration of the electron positron pair creation from vacuum in the collision of two or more intense laser pulses is discussed.

High-power -ray flash generation in ultraintense laser-plasma interactions

中村 龍史; Koga, J. K.; Esirkepov, T. Z.; 神門 正城; Korn, G.*; Bulanov, S. V.

Physical Review Letters, 108(19), p.195001_1 - 195001_5, 2012/05

https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.108.195001

レーザー強度が放射反作用が支配的となる領域に入ると、放射反作用を介したエネルギーロスは高出力線フラッシュを発生する新しい機構と考えることができる。発生する線のパルス長や発散角はレーザー強度とターゲットのスケール長により決定される。放射反作用を考慮した理論解析と粒子シミュレーション解析により、固体密度プラズマからの線フラッシュの発生に対する最適な条件を明らかにした。

Extreme field science

Bulanov, S. V.; Esirkepov, T. Z.; 林 由紀雄; 神門 正城; 桐山 博光; Koga, J. K.; 近藤 公伯; 小瀧 秀行; Pirozhkov, A. S.; Bulanov, S. S.*; et al.

Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion, 53(12), p.124025_1 - 124025_13, 2011/12

https://doi.org/10.1088/0741-3335/53/12/124025

We discuss the progress in the development of the extreme light sources that will open new horizons for studying a wide range of the fundamental science and astrophysics problems. The regimes of dominant radiation reaction, which completely change the electromagnetic wave-matter interaction, will be revealed, resulting in a new extremely powerful source of ultra short high brightness -ray pulses. The possibility of abundant electron-positron pair creation via the multi-photon processes, and possibility of reaching the critical field of quantum electrodynamics which would lead to the vacuum polarization and breakdown, are attracting high attention.

Phase-locked ions and foil transparency in the radiation pressure acceleration regime

Pegoraro, F.*; Bulanov, S. V.; Esirkepov, T. Z.; 神門 正城; Echkina, E.*; Inovenkov, I. N.*; Korn, G.*

Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research A, 653(1), p.153 - 155, 2011/10

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2010.12.137

The transverse expansion of a thin foil accelerated in the RPDA regime can be exploited in order to increase the ion energy and the acceleration efficiency at the expense of decreasing the number of accelerated particles. In the relativistic regime, the ions become phase-locked with respect to the electromagnetic wave. The use of an optimal laser pulse shape makes it possible to keep the expanding foil opaque to the laser radiation. This provides a new approach in order to enhance the energy of laser accelerated ions significantly.

Unlimited energy gain in the laser-driven radiation pressure dominant acceleration of ions

Bulanov, S. V.; Echkina, E. Yu.*; Esirkepov, T. Z.; Inovenkov, I. N.*; 神門 正城; Pegoraro, F.*; Korn, G.*

Physics of Plasmas, 17(6), p.063102_1 - 063102_12, 2010/06

https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3428741

The energy of the ions accelerated by an intense electromagnetic wave in the radiation pressure dominated regime can be greatly enhanced by a transverse expansion of a thin target. The expansion decreases the number of accelerated ions in the irradiated region increasing the energy and the longitudinal velocity of the remaining ions. In the relativistic limit, the ions become phase-locked with respect to the electromagnetic wave resulting in an unlimited ion energy gain. This effect and the use of optimal laser pulse shape provide a new approach for great enhancing the energy of laser accelerated ions.

Regenerative pulse shaping; A New technique for ultrabroadband amplification

Squier, J.*; Guo, T.*; LeBlanc, C.*; Korn, G.*; Rose-Petruck, C.*; Rksi, F.*; Yakovlev, V. V.*; 山川 考一; Barty, C. P. J.*

Ultrafast Phenomena 10; Springer Series in Chemical Physics 62, p.87 - 89, 1996/00

近年、急速な勢いで進展を続ける極短パルス・超高出力レーザーシステムの開発研究において、これまで短パルス化の障壁となっていたレーザー増幅器の利得狭帯化の制御方法として新たに提案した「再生パルス成形技術」について発表を行う。この手法により、これまで得られていたレーザー光のスペクトル幅の約2倍のバンド幅を有する増幅パルスの生成に成功し、この増幅パルスを圧縮することにより、最短18フェムト秒のテラワットレーザーパルスが発生された。