Versatile tape-drive target for high-repetition-rate laser-driven proton acceleration

oleh: N. Xu, M. J. V. Streeter, O. C. Ettlinger, H. Ahmed, S. Astbury, M. Borghesi, N. Bourgeois, C. B. Curry, S. J. D. Dann, N. P. Dover, T. Dzelzainis, V. Istokskaia, M. Gauthier, L. Giuffrida, G. D. Glenn, S. H. Glenzer, R. J. Gray, J. S. Green, G. S. Hicks, C. Hyland, M. King, B. Loughran, D. Margarone, O. McCusker, P. McKenna, C. Parisuaña, P. Parsons, C. Spindloe, D. R. Symes, F. Treffert, C. A. J. Palmer, Z. Najmudin

Format: Article
Diterbitkan: Cambridge University Press 2023-01-01

Deskripsi

We present the development and characterization of a high-stability, multi-material, multi-thickness tape-drive target for laser-driven acceleration at repetition rates of up to 100 Hz. The tape surface position was measured to be stable on the sub-micrometre scale, compatible with the high-numerical aperture focusing geometries required to achieve relativistic intensity interactions with the pulse energy available in current multi-Hz and near-future higher repetition-rate lasers ( $>$ kHz). Long-term drift was characterized at 100 Hz demonstrating suitability for operation over extended periods. The target was continuously operated at up to 5 Hz in a recent experiment for 70,000 shots without intervention by the experimental team, with the exception of tape replacement, producing the largest data-set of relativistically intense laser–solid foil measurements to date. This tape drive provides robust targetry for the generation and study of high-repetition-rate ion beams using next-generation high-power laser systems, also enabling wider applications of laser-driven proton sources.