Foil Targets Research Articles

Development of a multipurpose beam foil spectroscopy set-up for the low cross-section measurements

A multipurpose facility for low cross section measurements has been developed at Inter University Accelerator Centre, New Delhi, India. The facility consists of a multipurpose miniature chamber equipped with 1m focal length normal incidence Monochromator and charge coupled device based detection system which has been aligned to realize the best resolution of the spectrometer. The chamber in this facility collects radiation 100 times more efficiently from the older system, without using any extra focusing mirror assembly. It is ensured to have the provision of mounting an X-ray detector and the spectrometer transverse to the beam direction simultaneously in the same chamber. The atomic spectroscopic studies can be performed by interaction of ions beams with both thin foil and gas targets. Provision for using photomultiplier tube instead of charge coupled device, is employed in the system depending on the condition of the source strength or other detection issues. We observed the essence of a very weak atomic phenomenon, a triply excited autoionizing forbidden transition, using the above facility to demonstrate its capability for measuring such low cross section phenomena. The present developed facility covers a large spectroscopic region from X-rays to the near infrared (0.1–10,000Å).

Enhancement of the maximum proton energy by funnel-geometry target in laser–plasma interactions

Abstract Enhancement of the maximum proton energy using a funnel-geometry target is demonstrated through particle simulations of laser–plasma interactions. When an intense short-pulse laser illuminate a thin foil target, the foil electrons are pushed by the laser ponderomotive force, and then form an electron cloud at the target rear surface. The electron cloud generates a strong electrostatic field, which accelerates the protons to high energies. If there is a hole in the rear of target, the shape of the electron cloud and the distribution of the protons will be affected by the protuberant part of the hole. In this paper, a funnel-geometry target is proposed to improve the maximum proton energy. Using particle-in-cell 2-dimensional simulations, the transverse electric field generated by the side wall of four different holes are calculated, and protons inside holes are restricted to specific shapes by these field. In the funnel-geometry target, more protons are restricted near the center of the longitudinal accelerating electric field, thus protons experiencing longer accelerating time and distance in the sheath field compared with that in a traditional cylinder hole target. Accordingly, more and higher energy protons are produced from the funnel-geometry target. The maximum proton energy is improved by about 4 MeV compared with a traditional cylinder-shaped hole target. The funnel-geometry target serves as a new method to improve the maximum proton energy in laser–plasma interactions.

Improve beam quality of laser proton acceleration with funnel-shaped-hole target

Improve beam quality of laser proton acceleration using a funnel-shaped-hole target is demonstrated through particle simulations. When an intense short pulse laser illuminates a thin foil target with a hole at the rear surface, the proton beam divergence is suppressed compared with that obtained in a traditional flat target. In this paper, a funnel-shaped-hole target is proposed to improve the proton beam quality. Using two-dimensional particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations, three different shapes of target (funnel-shaped-hole target, cylinder-shaped-hole target and flat target) are simulated and compared. The funnel-shaped hole in the rear surface of the target helps to focus the electron cloud significantly and improve the maximum proton energy and suppress the proton beam divergence. Different thicknesses of the new target are also simulated, and the effects of thickness on the divergence angle and proton spectra are investigated. The optimal size of the new target is obtained and the quality of the proton beam is improved significantly. The funnel-shaped-hole target serves as a new method to improve the proton beam quality in laser–plasma interactions.

Shock compression response of highly reactive Ni + Al multilayered thin foils

The shock-compression response of Ni + Al multilayered thin foils is investigated using laser-accelerated thin-foil plate-impact experiments over the pressure range of 2 to 11 GPa. The foils contain alternating Ni and Al layers (parallel but not flat) of nominally 50 nm bilayer spacing. The goal is to determine the equation of state and shock-induced reactivity of these highly reactive fully dense thin-foil materials. The laser-accelerated thin-foil impact set-up involved combined use of photon-doppler-velocimetry to monitor the acceleration and impact velocity of an aluminum flyer, and VISAR interferometry was used to monitor the back free-surface velocity of the impacted Ni + Al multilayered target. The shock-compression response of the Ni + Al target foils was determined using experimentally measured parameters and impedance matching approach, with error bars identified considering systematic and experimental errors. Meso-scale CTH shock simulations were performed using real imported microstructures of the cross-sections of the multilayered Ni + Al foils to compute the Hugoniot response (assuming no reaction) for correlation with their experimentally determined equation of state. It was observed that at particle velocities below ∼150 m/s, the experimentally determined equation of state trend matches the CTH-predicted inert response and is consistent with the observed unreacted state of the recovered Ni + Al target foils from this velocity regime. At higher particle velocities, the experimentally determined equation of state deviates from the CTH-predicted inert response. A complete and self-sustained reaction is also seen in targets recovered from experiments performed at these higher particle velocities. The deviation in the measured equation of state, to higher shock speeds and expanded volumes, combined with the observation of complete reaction in the recovered multilayered foils, confirmed via microstructure characterization, is indicative of the occurrence of shock-induced chemical reaction occurring in the time-scale of the high-pressure state. TEM characterization of recovered shock-compressed (unreacted) Ni + Al multilayered foils exhibits distinct features of constituent mixing revealing jetted layers and inter-mixed regions. These features were primarily observed in the proximity of the undulations present in the alternating layers of the Ni + Al starting foils, suggesting the important role of such instabilities in promoting shock-induced intermetallic-forming reactions in the fully dense highly exothermic multilayered thin foils.

Combined proton acceleration from foil targets by ultraintense short laser pulses

Proton emission from solid foil targets irradiated by relativistically intense femtosecond laser pulses is studied experimentally. Broad plateaus in energy spectra are measured from micron-thick targets when the incident laser pulses have relatively low intensity contrasts. It is proposed that such proton spectra can be attributed to the combined processes of laser-driven collisionless shock acceleration and target normal sheath acceleration. Simple analytic estimation and two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations are performed, which support our interpretation. The obtained plateau-shape spectrum may also serve as an effective tool to diagnose the plasma state and verify the ion acceleration mechanisms in laser-solid interactions.

Ion acceleration and plasma jet formation in ultra-thin foils undergoing expansion and relativistic transparency

At sufficiently high laser intensities, the rapid heating to relativistic velocities and resulting decompression of plasma electrons in an ultra-thin target foil can result in the target becoming relativistically transparent to the laser light during the interaction. Ion acceleration in this regime is strongly affected by the transition from an opaque to a relativistically transparent plasma. By spatially resolving the laser-accelerated proton beam at near-normal laser incidence and at an incidence angle of 30°, we identify characteristic features both experimentally and in particle-in-cell simulations which are consistent with the onset of three distinct ion acceleration mechanisms: sheath acceleration; radiation pressure acceleration; and transparency-enhanced acceleration. The latter mechanism occurs late in the interaction and is mediated by the formation of a plasma jet extending into the expanding ion population. The effect of laser incident angle on the plasma jet is explored.

An x-ray backlit Talbot-Lau deflectometer for high-energy-density electron density diagnostics.

X-ray phase-contrast techniques can measure electron density gradients in high-energy-density plasmas through refraction induced phase shifts. An 8 keV Talbot-Lau interferometer consisting of free standing ultrathin gratings was deployed at an ultra-short, high-intensity laser system using K-shell emission from a 1-30 J, 8 ps laser pulse focused on thin Cu foil targets. Grating survival was demonstrated for 30 J, 8 ps laser pulses. The first x-ray deflectometry images obtained under laser backlighting showed up to 25% image contrast and thus enabled detection of electron areal density gradients with a maximum value of 8.1 ± 0.5 × 10(23) cm(-3) in a low-Z millimeter sized sample. An electron density profile was obtained from refraction measurements with an error of <8%. The 50 ± 15 μm spatial resolution achieved across the full field of view was found to be limited by the x-ray source-size, similar to conventional radiography.

Manipulation of the spatial distribution of laser-accelerated proton beams by varying the laser intensity distribution

We report on a study of the spatial profile of proton beams produced through target normal sheath acceleration using flat target foils and changing the laser intensity distribution on the target front surface. This is done by either defocusing a single laser pulse or by using a split-pulse setup and irradiating the target with two identical laser pulses with variable spatial separation. The resulting proton beam profile and the energy spectrum are recorded as functions of the focal spot size of the single laser pulse and of the separation between the two pulses. A shaping of the resulting proton beam profile, related to both an increase in flux of low-energy protons in the target normal direction and a decrease in their divergence, in one or two dimensions, is observed. The results are explained by simple modelling of rear surface sheath field expansion, ionization, and projection of the resulting proton beam.

Smith–Purcell radiation in the terahertz regime using charged particle beams from laser–matter interactions

AbstractWe report on the experimental observation of Smith–Purcell (SP) radiation generation by charged particle beam from laser–matter interactions. High-power laser pulses were focused onto a thin metal foil target to generate proton beams with energies up to 1.7 MeV via the target normal sheath acceleration (TNSA) process. The particle beam from the TNSA process was sent close to a periodic structure to generate SP radiation. Sub-μJ terahertz pulses were recorded using a pyroelectric detector. Simultaneous measurement of the ion spectra allowed us to estimate the power of the emitted radiation and compare it with the experimental results. The distance between the grating and the particle beam was varied and its effect on the emitted radiation was studied.

Influence of laser polarization on collective electron dynamics in ultraintense laser–foil interactions

The collective response of electrons in an ultrathin foil target irradiated by an ultraintense ( ${\sim}6\times 10^{20}~\text{W}~\text{cm}^{-2}$ ) laser pulse is investigated experimentally and via 3D particle-in-cell simulations. It is shown that if the target is sufficiently thin that the laser induces significant radiation pressure, but not thin enough to become relativistically transparent to the laser light, the resulting relativistic electron beam is elliptical, with the major axis of the ellipse directed along the laser polarization axis. When the target thickness is decreased such that it becomes relativistically transparent early in the interaction with the laser pulse, diffraction of the transmitted laser light occurs through a so called ‘relativistic plasma aperture’, inducing structure in the spatial-intensity profile of the beam of energetic electrons. It is shown that the electron beam profile can be modified by variation of the target thickness and degree of ellipticity in the laser polarization.

Novel method to transform ZnO nanorods into interlaced tattered nanosheets by changing the target inclination angle

ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized by liquid-phase pulse laser ablation of a Zn foil target immersed in deionized water. Nanosecond Q-switched Nd:YAG laser pulses of 532 nm were applied to the Zn foil target at a perpendicular and inclined (θ = 45°) angles. X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that both cases feature a ZnO nanostructure with a hexagonal wurtzite structure and that the particle size increases with the inclined target angle. Field emission scanning electron microscopy results of a colloidal drop cast on a glass substrate showed the ZnO has a nanorod structure in the case of a perpendicular target angle and an interlaced tattered nanosheet structure in the case of an inclined target angle. Photoluminescence spectra showed emission peaks in the UV, violet, blue, and green spectral regions, which correspond to excitonic and various defects resulting in an enhancement of emissions at inclined target angle.

Ion acceleration via ‘nonlinear vacuum heating’ by the laser pulse obliquely incident on a thin foil target

The dependence of the energy of ions accelerated during the interaction of the laser pulse obliquely incident on the thin foil target on the laser polarisation is studied experimentally and theoretically. We found that the ion energy being maximal for the p-polarisation drastically decreases when the pulse becomes s-polarised. The experimentally found dependencies of the ion energy are explained by invoking anomalous electron heating, which results in high electrostatic potential formation at the target surface. The anomalous heating of electrons beyond the energy of quiver motion in the laser field is described within the framework of a theoretical model of a driven oscillator with a step-like nonlinearity. We have demonstrated that the electron anomalous heating can be realised in two regimes: nonlinear resonance and stochastic heating, depending on the extent of stochasticity.

Effects of the plasma profiles on photon and pair production in ultrahigh intensity laser solid interaction

The model of photon and pair production in strong field quantum electrodynamics is implemented into our 1D3V particle-in-cell code with Monte Carlo algorithm. Using this code, the evolution of the particles in ultrahigh intensity laser (∼1023 W/cm2) interaction with aluminum foil target is observed. Four different initial plasma profiles are considered in the simulations. The effects of initial plasma profiles on photon and pair production, energy spectra, and energy evolution are analyzed. The results imply that one can set an optimal initial plasma profile to obtain the desired photon distributions.

Laser-driven x-ray and neutron source development for industrial applications of plasma accelerators

Pulsed beams of energetic x-rays and neutrons from intense laser interactions with solid foils are promising for applications where bright, small emission area sources, capable of multi-modal delivery are ideal. Possible end users of laser-driven multi-modal sources are those requiring advanced non-destructive inspection techniques in industry sectors of high value commerce such as aerospace, nuclear and advanced manufacturing. We report on experimental work that demonstrates multi-modal operation of high power laser-solid interactions for neutron and x-ray beam generation. Measurements and Monte Carlo radiation transport simulations show that neutron yield is increased by a factor ~2 when a 1 mm copper foil is placed behind a 2 mm lithium foil, compared to using a 2 cm block of lithium only. We explore x-ray generation with a 10 picosecond drive pulse in order to tailor the spectral content for radiography with medium density alloy metals. The impact of using >1 ps pulse duration on laser-accelerated electron beam generation and transport is discussed alongside the optimisation of subsequent bremsstrahlung emission in thin, high atomic number target foils. X-ray spectra are deconvolved from spectrometer measurements and simulation data generated using the GEANT4 Monte Carlo code. We also demonstrate the unique capability of laser-driven x-rays in being able to deliver single pulse high spatial resolution projection imaging of thick metallic objects. Active detector radiographic imaging of industrially relevant sample objects with a 10 ps drive pulse is presented for the first time, demonstrating that features of 200 μm size are resolved when projected at high magnification.

Kinetic-energy transfer in highly-charged-ion collisions with carbon

We present an accurate theoretical model for the charge dependence of kinetic energy transferred in collisions between slow highly charged ions (HCIs) and the atoms in a carbon solid. The model is in excellent agreement with experimental kinetic-energy-loss data for carbon nanomembrane and thin carbon foil targets. This study fills a notable gap in the literature of charged-particle energy loss in the regime of low incident velocity (${v}_{p}\ensuremath{\lesssim}2.188\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{6}$ m/s) where charge states greatly exceed the equilibrium values.

Development and testing of a pulsed helium ion source for probing materials and warm dense matter studies.

The neutralized drift compression experiment was designed and commissioned as a pulsed, linear induction accelerator to drive thin targets to warm dense matter (WDM) states with peak temperatures of ∼1 eV using intense, short pulses (∼1 ns) of 1.2 MeV lithium ions. At that kinetic energy, heating a thin target foil near the Bragg peak energy using He(+) ions leads to more uniform energy deposition of the target material than Li(+) ions. Experiments show that a higher current density of helium ions can be delivered from a plasma source compared to Li(+) ions from a hot plate type ion source. He(+) beam pulses as high as 200 mA at the peak and 4 μs long were measured from a multi-aperture 7-cm-diameter emission area. Within ±5% variation, the uniform beam area is approximately 6 cm across. The accelerated and compressed pulsed ion beams can be used for materials studies and isochoric heating of target materials for high energy density physics experiments and WDM studies.

The survivability of phyllosilicates and carbonates impacting Stardust Al foils: Facilitating the search for cometary water

AbstractComet 81P/Wild 2 samples returned by NASA's Stardust mission provide an unequalled opportunity to study the contents of, and hence conditions and processes operating on, comets. They can potentially validate contentious interpretations of cometary infrared spectra and in situ mass spectrometry data: specifically the identification of phyllosilicates and carbonates. However, Wild 2 dust was collected via impact into capture media at ~6 km s−1, leading to uncertainty as to whether these minerals were captured intact, and, if subjected to alteration, whether they remain recognizable. We simulated Stardust Al foil capture conditions using a two‐stage light‐gas gun, and directly compared transmission electron microscope analyses of pre‐ and postimpact samples to investigate survivability of lizardite and cronstedtite (phyllosilicates) and calcite (carbonate). We find the phyllosilicates do not survive impact as intact crystalline materials but as moderately to highly vesiculated amorphous residues lining resultant impact craters, whose bulk cation to Si ratios remain close to that of the impacting grain. Closer inspection reveals variation in these elements on a submicron scale, where impact‐induced melting accompanied by reducing conditions (due to the production of oxygen scavenging molten Al from the target foils) has resulted in the production of native silicon and Fe‐ and Fe‐Si‐rich phases. In contrast, large areas of crystalline calcite are preserved within the calcite residue, with smaller regions of vesiculated, Al‐bearing calcic glass. Unambiguous identification of calcite impactors on Stardust Al foil is therefore possible, while phyllosilicate impactors may be inferred from vesiculated residues with appropriate bulk cation to Si ratios. Finally, we demonstrate that the characteristic textures and elemental distributions identifying phyllosilicates and carbonates by transmission electron microscopy can also be observed by state‐of‐the‐art scanning electron microscopy providing rapid, nondestructive initial mineral identifications in Stardust residues.

Proton acceleration enhanced by a plasma jet in expanding foils undergoing relativistic transparency

Ion acceleration driven by the interaction of an ultraintense (2 × 1020 W cm−2) laser pulse with an ultrathin ( nm) foil target is experimentally and numerically investigated. Protons accelerated by sheath fields and via laser radiation pressure are angularly separated and identified based on their directionality and signature features (e.g. transverse instabilities) in the measured spatial-intensity distribution. A low divergence, high energy proton component is also detected when the heated target electrons expand and the target becomes relativistically transparent during the interaction. 2D and 3D particle-in-cell simulations indicate that under these conditions a plasma jet is formed at the target rear, supported by a self-generated azimuthal magnetic field, which extends into the expanded layer of sheath-accelerated protons. Electrons trapped within this jet are directly accelerated to super-thermal energies by the portion of the laser pulse transmitted through the target. The resulting streaming of the electrons into the ion layers enhances the energy of protons in the vicinity of the jet. Through the addition of a controlled prepulse, the maximum energy of these protons is demonstrated experimentally and numerically to be sensitive to the picosecond rising edge profile of the laser pulse.

Hard-X-ray imaging of laser plasma using axisymmetric refractive lenses

An experimental scheme for studying laser-produced plasmas under extremal conditions with the aid of a compound refractive X-ray lens has been implemented. Laser-produced plasma bunches have been imaged in hard X-rays upon intense laser irradiation of a copper foil target.

Liquid-phase pulsed laser ablation synthesis of graphitized carbon-encapsulated palladium core–shell nanospheres for catalytic reduction of nitrobenzene to aniline

Graphitized carbon-encapsulated palladium (Pd) core–shell nanospheres were produced via pulsed laser ablation of a solid Pd foil target submerged in acetonitrile. The microstructural features and optical properties of these nanospheres were characterized via high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and UV-visible spectroscopy. Microstructural analysis indicated that the core–shell nanostructures consisted of single-crystalline cubic metallic Pd spheres that serve as the core material, over which graphitized carbon was anchored as a heterogeneous shell. The absorbance spectrum of the synthesized nanostructures exhibited a broad (absorption) band at ∼264nm; this band corresponded to the typical inter-band transition of a metallic system and resulted possibly from the absorbance of the ionic Pd2+. The catalytic properties of the Pd and Pd@C core–shell nanostructures were investigated using the reduction of nitrobenzene to aniline by an excess amount of NaBH4 in an aqueous solution at room temperature, as a model reaction. Owing to the graphitized carbon-layered structure and the high specific surface area, the resulting Pd@C nanostructures exhibited higher conversion efficiencies than their bare Pd counterparts. In fact, the layered structure provided access to the surface of the Pd nanostructures for the hydrogenation reaction, owing to the synergistic effect between graphitized carbon and the nanostructures. Their unique structure and excellent catalytic performance render Pd@C core–shell nanostructures highly promising candidates for catalysis applications.