High Repetition Rate Ion Acceleration Achieved with Tabletop Lasers

Traditional laser ion acceleration methods rely on high-energy, multi-joule laser systems to generate extreme ion speeds, typically requiring massive and complex setups. However, the TIFR team, led by Prof. M. Krishnamurthy and including researchers S.V. Rahul and Ratul Sabui, developed a new approach that harnesses a known limitation of these systems-the presence of pre-pulses.

Pre-pulses are small bursts of laser energy that precede the main, intense laser pulse, often complicating the acceleration process by disrupting the target surface. However, rather than suppressing these pre-pulses, the TIFR researchers found a way to exploit them. Their approach uses pre-pulses to sculpt hollow cavities in liquid microdroplets, creating a low-density plasma environment. This plasma serves as a highly efficient medium for absorbing subsequent laser pulses, generating powerful electron bursts that can drive protons to hundreds of kilovolts of energy.

This innovative technique effectively bridges the gap between traditional low-repetition, high-energy laser systems and more practical, compact setups, potentially transforming applications ranging from medical treatments to advanced materials processing.

Research Report:High-repetition rate ion acceleration driven by a two-plasmon decay instability