Premium
Cold electrons acceleration in TNSA laser‐generated plasma using a low‐contrast fs laser
Author(s) -
Torrisi L.,
Cutroneo M.,
Torrisi A.
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
contributions to plasma physics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.531
H-Index - 47
eISSN - 1521-3986
pISSN - 0863-1042
DOI - 10.1002/ctpp.202000097
Subject(s) - electron , plasma , laser , atomic physics , acceleration , materials science , ion , electron temperature , physics , optics , nuclear physics , classical mechanics , quantum mechanics
The fs laser facility in Bordeaux, delivering an intensity of 10 18 W/cm 2 at normal incidence on thin foils, has been used to induce forward electron and ion acceleration in target‐normal‐sheath‐acceleration (TNSA) regime. Micrometric thin foils with different composition, thickness, and electron density, were prepared to promote the charge particle acceleration in the forward direction. The plasma electron and ion emission monitoring were performed on‐line using SiC semiconductor detectors in time‐of‐flight (TOF) configuration and gaf‐chromics films both covered by thin absorber filters. The experiment has permitted to accelerate electrons and protons. A special attention was placed to detect relativistic hot electrons escaping from the plasma and cold electrons returning to the target position. The electron energies of the order of 100 keV and of about 1 keV were detected as representative of hot and cold electrons, respectively. A high cold electron contribution was measured using low‐contrast fs laser, while it is less evident using high‐contrast fs lasers. The charge particle acceleration depends on the laser parameters, irradiation conditions, and target properties, as will be presented and discussed.