Proton acceleration from magnetized overdense plasmas

Proton acceleration by an ultraintense short pulse circularly polarized laser from an overdense three dimensional (3D) particle-in-cell (PIC) 3D-PIC simulations. The axial magnetic field modifies the dielectric constant of the plasma, which causes a difference in the behaviour of ponderomotive force in case of left and right circularly polarized laser pulse. When the laser is right circularly polarized, the ponderomotive force gets enhanced due to cyclotron effects generating high energetic electrons, which, on reaching the target rear side accelerates the protons via target normal sheath acceleration process. On the other hand, in case of left circular polarization, the effects get reversed causing a suppression of the ponderomotive force at a short distance and lead towards a rise in the radiation pressure, which results in the effective formation of laser piston. Thus, the axial magnetic field enhances the effect of radiation pressure in case of left circularly polarized laser resulting in the generation of high energetic protons at the target front side. The transverse motion of protons get reduced as they gyrate around the axial magnetic field which increases the beam collimation to some extent. The optimum thickness of the overdense plasma target is found to be increased in the presence of an axial magnetic field. Published by AIP Publishing.