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Sentoku, Y

Publications and source records attributed to Sentoku, Y.

12 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2019

First demonstration of ARC-accelerated proton beams at the National Ignition Facility

New short-pulse kilojoule, Petawatt-class lasers, which have recently come online and are coupled to large-scale, many-beam long-pulse facilities, undoubtedly serve as very exciting tools to capture transformational science opportunities in high energy density physics. These short-pulse lasers also happen to reside in a unique laser regime: very high-energy (kilojoule), relatively long (multi-picosecond) pulse-lengths, and large (10s of micron) focal spots, where their use in driving energetic particle beams is largely unexplored. Proton acceleration via Target Normal Sheath Acceleration (TNSA) using the Advanced Radiographic Capability (ARC) short-pulse laser at the National Ignition Facility in the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory is demonstrated for the first time, and protons of up to 18 MeV are measured using laser irradiation of >1 ps pulse-lengths and quasi-relativistic (10 18 W/cm 2 ) intensities. This is indicative of a super-ponderomotive electron acceleration mechanism that sustains acceleration over long (multi-picosecond) time-scales and allows for proton energies to be achieved far beyond what the well-established scalings of proton acceleration via TNSA would predict at these modest intensities. Furthermore, the characteristics of the ARC laser (large ~100 μ m diameter focal spot, flat spatial profile, multi-picosecond, relatively low prepulse) provide acceleration conditions that allow for the investigation of 1D-like particle acceleration. A high flux ~50 J of laser-accelerated protons is experimentally demonstrated. In conclusion, a new capability in multi-picosecond particle-in-cell simulation is applied to model the data, corroborating the high proton energies and elucidating the physics of multi-picosecond particle acceleration.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2012

Self-proton/ion radiography of laser-produced proton/ion beam from thin foil targets

Protons and multicharged ions generated from high-intensity laser interactions with thin foil targets have been studied with a 100 TW laser system. Protons/ions with energies up to 10 MeV are accelerated either from the front or the rear surface of the target material. We have observed for the first time that the protons/ions accelerated from the front surface of the target, in a direction opposite to the laser propagation direction, are turned around and pulled back to the rear surface, in the laser propagation direction. This proton/ion beam is able to create a self-radiograph of the target and glass stalk holding the target itself recorded through the radiochromic film stack. This unique result indicates strong long-living (ns time scale) magnetic fields present in the laser-produced plasma, which are extremely important in energy transport during the intense laser irradiation. The magnetic field from laser main pulse expands rapidly in the preformed plasma to rotate the laser produced protons. Radiation hydrodynamic simulations and ray tracing found that the magnetic field created by the amplified spontaneous emission prepulse is not sufficient to explain the particle trajectories, but the additional field created by the main pulse interaction estimated from particle-in-cell simulation is able to change the particle trajectories.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2012

Laser-driven relativistic electron beam interaction with solid dielectric

The multi-frames shadowgraphy, interferometry and polarimetry diagnostics with sub-ps time resolution were used for an investigation of ionization wave dynamics inside a glass target induced by laser-driven relativistic electron beam. Experiments were done using the 50 TW Leopard laser at the UNR. For a laser flux of {approx}2 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 18}W/cm{sup 2} a hemispherical ionization wave propagates at c/3. The maximum of the electron density inside the glass target is {approx}2 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 19}cm{sup -3}. Magnetic and electric fields are less than {approx}15 kG and {approx}1 MV/cm, respectively. The electron temperature has a maximum of {approx}0.5 eV. 2D interference phase shift shows the 'fountain effect' of electron beam. The very low ionization inside glass target {approx}0.1% suggests a fast recombination at the sub-ps time scale. 2D PIC-simulations demonstrate radial spreading of fast electrons by self-consistent electrostatic fields.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2011

Fountain effect of laser-driven relativistic electrons inside a solid dielectric

Ultrafast interferometry with sub-ps resolution has been applied for the direct measurement of an electron density induced by a laser-driven relativistic electron beam inside a solid dielectric. The topology of the interference phase shift shows the signature of the ''fountain effect,'' a narrow electron beam that fans out from the propagation axis and heads back to the target surface. Two-dimensional particle-in-cell (PIC) computer simulations demonstrate radial spreading of fast electrons by self-consistent electrostatic fields. The very low ionization, {approx}0.1%, observed after the heating pulse suggests a fast recombination at the sub-ps time scale.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2011

Dynamic Control over Mega-Ampere Electron Currents in Metals Using Ionization-Driven Resistive Magnetic Fields

The possibility of dynamically shaping mega-ampere electron currents generated in solids by ultraintense laser pulses in various conductor materials has been investigated. By tuning the target ionization dynamics, which depends both on the target material properties and on the input electron beam characteristics, we can control the growth of resistive magnetic fields that feedback on the current transport. As a result, collimation, hollowing, or filamentation of the electron beam can all be obtained. These results are beneficial for applications such as the production of secondary particles and radiation sources and fast ignition of inertial confinement fusion.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2011

Increased laser-accelerated proton energies via direct laser-light-pressure acceleration of electrons in microcone targets

We present experimental results showing a laser-accelerated proton beam maximum energy cutoff of 67.5 MeV, with more than 5 x 10{sup 6} protons per MeV at that energy, using flat-top hollow microcone targets. This result was obtained with a modest laser energy of {approx}80 J, on the high-contrast Trident laser at Los Alamos National Laboratory. From 2D particle-in-cell simulations, we attribute the source of these enhanced proton energies to direct laser-light-pressure acceleration of electrons along the inner cone wall surface, where the laser light wave accelerates electrons just outside the surface critical density, in a potential well created by a shift of the electrostatic field maximum with respect to that of the magnetic field maximum. Simulations show that for an increasing acceleration length, the continuous loading of electrons into the accelerating phase of the laser field yields an increase in high-energy electrons.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2011

Energy transport and isochoric heating of a low-Z, reduced-mass target irradiated with a high intensity laser pulse

Heat transport in reduced-mass targets irradiated with a high intensity laser pulse was studied. K{alpha} lines from partially ionized chlorine embedded in the middle of a triple-layered plastic target were measured to evaluate bulk electron temperature in the tracer region inside the target. Two groups of K{alpha} lines, one from Cl{sup +}-Cl{sup 6+} (hereby called ''cold K{alpha}''), and the other from Cl{sup 9+} and Cl{sup 10+} (''shifted K{alpha}'') are observed from different regions within the target. Two-dimensional collisional particle-in-cell simulations show two distinct heating mechanisms occurring concurrently: uniform heating by refluxing electrons and local heating by diffusive electrons in the central region. These two heating processes, which made the target temperature distribution nonuniform, are responsible for producing the two groups of K{alpha} lines in the experiment. The blue-shift of cold K{alpha} lines in the experiment is the signature of higher temperatures achieved by the refluxing heating in smaller-mass targets.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2010

Enhanced Propagation for Relativistic Laser Pulses in Inhomogeneous Plasmas Using Hollow Channels

The influence of long (several millimeters) and hollow channels, bored in inhomogeneous ionized plasma by using a long pulse laser beam, on the propagation of short, ultraintense laser pulses has been studied. Compared to the case without a channel, propagation in channels significantly improves beam transmission and maintains a beam quality close to propagation in vacuum. In addition, the growth of the forward-Raman instability is strongly reduced. These results are beneficial for the direct scheme of the fast ignitor concept of inertial confinement fusion as we demonstrate, in fast-ignition-relevant conditions, that with such channels laser energy can be carried through increasingly dense plasmas close to the fuel core with minimal losses.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗