Abstract : Laser-driven ion acceleration by intense, ultra-short, laser pulse has received increasing attention in
recent years, and the availability of much compact and versatile ions sources motivates the study of
laser-driven sources of energetic neutral atoms. We demonstrate the production of a neutral and
directional beam of hydrogen and carbon atoms up to 200 keV per nucleon, with a peak flow of 2.7 x
10(13) atom s(-1). Laser accelerated ions are neutralized in a pulsed, supersonic argon jet with tunable
density between 1.5 x 10(17) cm(-3) and 6 x 10(18) cm(-3). The neutralization efficiency has been
measured by a time-of-flight detector for different argon densities. An optimum is found, for which
complete neutralization occurs. The neutralization rate can be explained only at high areal densities (> 1
x 10(17) cm(-2)) by single electron charge transfer processes. These results suggest a new perspective
for the study of neutral production by laser and open discussion of neutralization at a lower density.
https://hal-ensta-paris.archives-ouvertes.fr//hal-01394676
Contributor : Pierre Zaparucha
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Submitted on : Wednesday, November 9, 2016 - 3:45:58 PM
Last modification on : Wednesday, July 3, 2019 - 10:48:04 AM
Florian Mollica, A Antonelli, Alessandro Flacco, B Braenzel, V Vauzour, et al.. Efficient laser production of energetic neutral beams. Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion, IOP Publishing, 2016, 58 (3), ⟨10.1088/0741-3335/58/3/034016⟩. ⟨hal-01394676⟩
