Laser–plasma acceleration of quasi-monoenergetic carbon ion beams with the “peeler” scheme

Corobean Bogdan; Horný Vojtech; Pukhov Alexander; d’Humières Emmanuel; Doria Domenico; Ur Călin Alexandru; Tomassini Paolo

doi:10.1063/5.0273104

Volume 10 Issue 5

Sep. 2025

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Corobean Bogdan, Horný Vojtech, Pukhov Alexander, d’Humières Emmanuel, Doria Domenico, Ur Călin Alexandru, Tomassini Paolo. Laser–plasma acceleration of quasi-monoenergetic carbon ion beams with the “peeler” scheme[J]. Matter and Radiation at Extremes, 2025, 10(5): 057204. doi: 10.1063/5.0273104

Citation:

Corobean Bogdan, Horný Vojtech, Pukhov Alexander, d’Humières Emmanuel, Doria Domenico, Ur Călin Alexandru, Tomassini Paolo. Laser–plasma acceleration of quasi-monoenergetic carbon ion beams with the “peeler” scheme[J]. Matter and Radiation at Extremes, 2025, 10(5): 057204. doi: 10.1063/5.0273104

Citation:

Corobean Bogdan, Horný Vojtech, Pukhov Alexander, d’Humières Emmanuel, Doria Domenico, Ur Călin Alexandru, Tomassini Paolo. Laser–plasma acceleration of quasi-monoenergetic carbon ion beams with the “peeler” scheme[J]. Matter and Radiation at Extremes, 2025, 10(5): 057204. doi: 10.1063/5.0273104

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Laser–plasma acceleration of quasi-monoenergetic carbon ion beams with the “peeler” scheme

doi: 10.1063/5.0273104

1.
National University of Science and Technology POLITEHNICA Bucharest, Splaiul Independenţei 313, 060042 Bucharest, Romania
2.
Extreme Light Infrastructure - Nuclear Physics, ”Horia Hulubei” National Institute for R&D in Physics and Nuclear Engineering, 30 Reactorului Street, 077125 Magurele, Romania
3.
Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Institut für Theoretische Physik I, Universitätsstraße 1, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
4.
Université de Bordeaux, CELIA, CNRS, CEA, 33405 Talence, France

More Information

Corresponding author: a)Author to whom correspondence should be addressed: bogdan.corobean@eli-np.ro
Received Date: 2025-03-28
Accepted Date: 2025-07-25

Available Online: 2025-11-28

Publish Date: 2025-09-01

Abstract

Abstract

We introduce a scheme aiming at the generation of quasi-monochromatic carbon ion bunches from laser–solid interaction. The proposed scheme is an extension of the “peeler” acceleration originally proposed for proton acceleration, which involves irradiating the narrow (sub-micrometer) side of a tape target. This results in the generation of a surface plasma wave and the subsequent acceleration of a proton bunch with high peak energy, quasi-monochromaticity, low energy bandwidth, and low divergence by the electrostatic field induced at the target rear. Up to now, the higher-Z (e.g., carbon) ion bunches obtained with the peeler scheme have been found to exhibit an exponentially decaying thermal-like energy spectrum. To achieve a low energy bandwidth, we place a mass-limited carbon structure at the rear of the target. Using 3D particle-in-cell simulations, we show that a quasi-monochromatic carbon bunch can indeed be obtained. With a multi-PW laser pulse, 10⁸ carbon ions with peak energy ∼110 MeV/u and with a divergence of 20° in the vertical plane and ∼1° in the horizontal plane can be generated. The quasi-monochromaticity, together with the low duration of the beam and in combination with the versatility of high-power laser facilities, should make this scheme attractive for practical applications such as heavy ion cancer therapy and higher-resolution diagnostics of extreme plasma states.

The authors have no conflicts to disclose.
Conflict of Interest
Author Contributions
B. Corobean: Conceptualization (equal); Formal analysis (equal); Visualization (equal); Writing – original draft (equal); Writing – review & editing (equal). V. Horný: Conceptualization (equal); Resources (equal); Supervision (equal); Visualization (equal); Writing – review & editing (equal). A. Pukhov: Conceptualization (supporting); Writing – review & editing (supporting). E. d’Humiéres: Conceptualization (supporting); Writing – review & editing (supporting). D. Doria: Conceptualization (supporting); Funding acquisition (supporting). C. A. Ur: Conceptualization (supporting); Funding acquisition (lead). P. Tomassini: Conceptualization (equal); Funding acquisition (equal); Supervision (equal); Writing – review & editing (equal).
Simulation data are stored on an internal server at ELI-NP for at least two years. The data are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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References(61)

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