Experimental study for the production cross sections of positron emitters induced from C and O nuclei by low-energy proton beams

Akagi, Takashi*; Yagi, Masashi*; Yamashita, Tomohiro*; Murakami, Masao*; Yamakawa, Yoshiyuki*; Kitamura, Keiji*; Ogura, Koichi; Kondo, Kiminori; Kawanishi, Shunichi*

Radiation Measurements, 59, p.262 - 269, 2013/12

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.radmeas.2013.07.005

In proton therapy, positron emitters are induced from C andO nuclei by protons on the beam path in the patient. Many studies for monitoring positron emitters with beam-induced PET technique have been performed by various groups to verify the proton beam range and the dose in the patient for quality assurance. The aim of this study was to develop a method for measuring the production cross sections of positron emitters using standard equipment for proton therapy. The time-activity curve was then obtained with a high-sensitivity PET scanner to extract the number of positron emitters produced in the target. The production cross sections for four reaction channels: O(p,pn)O, O(p,3p3n)C, O(p,2p2n)N, and C(p,pn)C were then measured. The cross sections for the O(p,pn)O reaction channel were consistent with data of previous experiments within the uncertainties, while those of C(p,pn)C were generally lower than data of previous experiments.

Development of a compact high-spatiotemporal-quality Yb:YAG thin-disk laser system using an optical parametric preamplifier

Kiriyama, Hiromitsu; Suzuki, Masayuki*; Daito, Izuru; Okada, Hajime; Ochi, Yoshihiro; Sato, Masatoshi*; Tamaoki, Yoshinori*; Yoshii, Takehiro*; Maeda, Junya*; Matsuoka, Shinichi*; et al.

Reza Kenkyu, 40(2), p.143 - 145, 2012/02

http://ci.nii.ac.jp/naid/10030152656

We demonstrate a compact, high-spatiotemporal-quality, high-intensity diode-pumped Yb:YAG thin-disk chirped-pulse amplification (CPA) laser system that incorporates a nonlinear preamplifier based on optical parametric chirped-pulse amplification (OPCPA). The stretched pulses are amplified in the OPCPA preamplifier and the following Yb:YAG main amplifier to 100 mJ at 10 Hz. The broadband amplified beam quality of 1.1 (horizontal direction) and 1.4 (vertical direction) times diffraction limited and pulse compression down to 470 fs with contrast of better than 10 have been achieved successfully.

Measurement of DNA double-strand break yield in human cancer cells by high-current, short-duration bunches of laser-accelerated protons

Yogo, Akifumi; Sato, Katsutoshi; Nishikino, Masaharu; Maeda, Takuya*; Sakaki, Hironao; Hori, Toshihiko*; Ogura, Koichi; Nishiuchi, Mamiko; Teshima, Teruki*; Nishimura, Hiroaki*; et al.

Japanese Journal of Applied Physics, 50(10), p.106401_1 - 106401_7, 2011/10

https://doi.org/10.1143/JJAP.50.106401

Ion acceleration in subcritical density plasma via interaction of intense laser pulse with cluster-gas target

Fukuda, Yuji; Faenov, A.*; Tampo, Motonobu; Pikuz, T.*; Nakamura, Tatsufumi; Kando, Masaki; Hayashi, Yukio; Yogo, Akifumi; Sakaki, Hironao; Kameshima, Takashi*; et al.

Progress in Ultrafast Intense Laser Science VII, p.225 - 240, 2011/05

http://www.springer.com/physics/atomic,+molecular,+optical+%26+plasma+physics/book/978-3-642-18326-3

We present substantial enhancement of the accelerated ion energies up to 10-20 MeV per nucleon by utilizing the unique properties of the cluster-gas target irradiated with 40-fs laser pulses of only 150 mJ energy, corresponding to approximately tenfold increase in the ion energies compared to previous experiments using thin foil targets. A particle-in-cell simulation infers that the high energy ions are generated at the rear side of the target due to the formation of a strong dipole vortex structure in sub-critical density plasmas. The demonstrated method can be important in the development of efficient laser ion accelerators for hadron therapy and other applications.

The Progress in the laser-driven proton acceleration experiment at JAEA with table-top Ti:Sappire laser system

Nishiuchi, Mamiko; Ogura, Koichi; Pirozhkov, A. S.; Tanimoto, Tsuyoshi; Yogo, Akifumi; Sakaki, Hironao; Hori, Toshihiko; Fukuda, Yuji; Kanasaki, Masato; Sagisaka, Akito; et al.

Proceedings of SPIE Europe Optics + Optoelectronics 2011, Vol.8079, 7 Pages, 2011/04

https://doi.org/10.1117/12.886429

Because of the peculiar characteristics of the laser-driven proton beam, many potential applications are proposed including establishing compact medical accelerator for the cancer therapy. For our final destination to establish the compact laser-driven proton accelerator, the experiments are performed to investigate proton and ion acceleration from thin foil targets, using a high contrast, ultra-short laser pulse from the J-KAREN laser at the Japan Atomic Energy Agency. The P-polarized laser pulse with the parameters of 800 nm, 40 fs, 4J, and with extremely high ASE contrast of 10 is focused onto the thin-foil targets with variable materials and thicknesses ranging from 100 um to sub-um. The achieved peak intensity is 10 Wcm. The maximum proton energy is reached to 14 MeV. The number of 10 MeV protons is enough to carry 2 Gy dose onto the skin of the mouse within 10min with 10 Hz operation. This enables us to carry out in-vivo test instead of in-vitro test.

Proposed plan for a JAEA Internationalization Initiative (JII) (Contract research)

Bolton, P.; Mizuki, Junichiro; Kawanishi, Shunichi

JAEA-Review 2010-063, 22 Pages, 2011/01

JAEA-Review-2010-063.pdf:0.95MB

Concepts for a JAEA Internationalization Initiative, JII are presented. Following a general discussion of issues and recommendations for JII, a "fast startup JII" is proposed in the form of fast start action items (FSAI). The FSAI represent a clear set of action items that can be implemented at the KPSI/PMRC site which would serve as a seed site for test and evaluation. A JAEA Internationalization Initiative that is guided by evaluation and tailored for JAEA as a whole can be established with appropriate oversight and tracking at each JAEA site by local JII teams. In addition to recommendations for the KPSI/PMRC seed site, the roles of the Quantum Beam Science Directorate (QuBS) leadership and the International Affairs Department (IAD) of JAEA are also discussed. Current KPSI/PMRC activities that are consistent with a JII are briefly presented.

Demonstration of a high-efficiency, broadband optical parametric chirped-pulse amplification as a front-end for a high intensity laser

Kosuge, Atsushi; Kiriyama, Hiromitsu; Shimomura, Takuya*; Tanoue, Manabu*; Kanazawa, Shuhei; Ochi, Yoshihiro; Mori, Michiaki; Tanaka, Momoko; Okada, Hajime; Sasao, Hajime*; et al.

Reza Kenkyu, 38(9), p.706 - 710, 2010/09

http://ci.nii.ac.jp/naid/10026690935

High conversion efficiency of optical parametric chirped-pulse amplification (OPCPA) is demonstrated with the use of a commercial frequency-doubled Q-Switched Nd:YAG laser. In the high energy seeded OPCPA, we have achieved a pump-to-signal conversion efficiency of 28%. Our result represents, to our knowledge, the most efficient OPCPA to date pumped by a commercial frequency-doubled Q-switched Nd:YAG laser.

High temporal and spatial quality petawatt-class Ti:sapphire chirped-pulse amplification laser system

Kiriyama, Hiromitsu; Mori, Michiaki; Nakai, Yoshiki; Shimomura, Takuya; Sasao, Hajime; Tanoue, Manabu*; Kanazawa, Shuhei; Wakai, Daisuke*; Sasao, Fumitaka*; Okada, Hajime; et al.

Optics Letters, 35(10), p.1497 - 1499, 2010/05

https://doi.org/10.1364/OL.35.001497

OPCPA (Optical parametric chirped-pulse amplification) operation with low gain by seeding with high energy, clean pulses is shown to significantly improve the contrast to better than - in a high intensity Ti:sapphire laser system that is based on chirped pulse amplification. In addition to the high contrast broadband high energy output from the final amplifier is achieved with a flat-topped spatial profile of filling factor near 77%. This is the result of pump beam spatial profile homogenization with diffractive optical elements. Final pulse energies exceed 30-Joules indicating capability for reaching peak powers in excess of 500-TW.

High spatiotemporal-quality petawatt-class laser system

Kiriyama, Hiromitsu; Mori, Michiaki; Nakai, Yoshiki; Shimomura, Takuya; Sasao, Hajime; Tanaka, Momoko; Ochi, Yoshihiro; Tanoue, Manabu*; Okada, Hajime; Kondo, Shuji; et al.

Applied Optics, 49(11), p.2105 - 2115, 2010/04

https://doi.org/10.1364/AO.49.002105

We have developed a femtosecond high intensity laser system, which combines both Ti:sapphire chirped-pulse amplification (CPA) and optical parametric chirped-pulse amplification (OPCPA) techniques, that produces more than 30-J broadband output energy, indicating the potential for achieving peak powers in excess of 500-TW. With a cleaned high-energy seeded OPCPA preamplifier as a front-end in the system, for the compressed pulse without pumping the final amplifier we found that the temporal contrast in this system exceeds 10 on the sub-nanosecond timescales, and is near 10 on the nanosecond timescale prior to the peak of the main femtosecond pulse. Using diffractive optical elements for beam homogenization of 100-J level high-energy Nd:glass green pump laser in a Ti:sapphire final amplifier, we have successfully generated broadband high-energy output with a near-perfect top-hat-like intensity distribution.

Simulation of laser-accelerated proton focusing and diagnosis with a permanent magnet quadrupole triplet

Sakaki, Hironao; Nishiuchi, Mamiko; Hori, Toshihiko; Bolton, P.; Tampo, Motonobu; Yogo, Akifumi; Kondo, Kiminori; Kawanishi, Shunichi; Iwase, Hiroshi*; Niita, Koji*

Plasma and Fusion Research (Internet), 5, p.009_1 - 009_2, 2010/03

https://doi.org/10.1585/pfr.5.009

The Monte Carlo Particle and Heavy Ion Transport code (PHITS) was used for diagnosing the focusing and defocusing action of a triplet of permanent magnet quadrupoles on laser-accelerated proton bunches of short duration. The code predicts reasonably well the observed transverse beam profile as measured with a CR-39 track detector demonstrating that PHITS can be used to simulate proton bunch transport by conventional ion optics in the laser-driven case.