Study of efficient ion acceleration by a laser beam

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Ion acceleration with irradiating a disk target by a laser pulse is studied by 3D particle-in-cell simulations. It was shown that protons are accelerated efficiently to high energy by using a "light" material for a target, because a stronger Coulomb explosion of the target occurs within such a material. Moreover, a large movement of the ion cloud for the accelerated protons is produced. This expanding and moving ion cloud accelerates protons effectively.By using hydrogen for the target, one can generate a proton beam with an energy of 200 MeV and an energy spread of 2%. In a polyethylene target, protons and carbon ions form two layers. A strong Coulomb explosion and Coulomb repulsion between each layer induces a generation of high energy protons. A doped target becomes a double layer. Then this double layer structure causes a generation of a quasi-monoenergetic proton beam.