Laser Plasma Interactions: Fusion, Particle Acceleration and Other Applications

激光等离子体相互作用：聚变、粒子加速和其他应用

• 批准号: RGPIN-2019-05013
• 负责人: Fedosejevs, Robert
• 金额: $ 3.64万
• 依托单位: University of Alberta
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2020
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2020-01-01 至 2021-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=714920
• 关键词: Laser; Plasma; Interactions; Fusion; Particle; Laser; Plasma; Interactions; Fusion; Particle

The proposed research will investigate high intensity ( 10^18 to 10^21 W/cm2) laser-plasma interactions in the relativistic regime for MeV electron and MeV proton production and low intensity laser-plasma interactions using Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) for detection of heavy metal contamination in drinking water. The former investigations target a number of applications, including: (1) fusion energy where such MeV particles can be used for Fast Ignition of Laser Fusion in a compressed fuel pellet, significantly reducing the required laser system energies from the standard self ignition approaches and (2) super compact laser driven MeV particle sources for applications in (a) subpicosecond radiography, (b) radioisotope production (c) proton cancer therapy and Fast Ignition drivers for Laser Fusion Energy systems. The low intensity investigations are targeted at developing field portable laser based systems for measurements of water quality, specifically heavy metal contamination, in remote locations and third world countries. One of the novel approaches we are exploring for the high intensity laser plasma applications is the use of newly developed Orbital Angular Mode (OAM) or "Vortex" mode optical pulses which carry extra angular momentum in Laguerre-Gaussian beams. This extra angular momentum can be coupled into the electrons in the plasma when the light is absorbed driving a circular current and generating Megagauss strength axial magnetic fields. While these fields have been predicted in a number of theoretical investigations, there are no experimental measurements verifying these predictions. We have developed a simple technique to generate such OAM modes in high intensity laser systems by the insertion of a specially designed spiral staircase mirror as one of the final turning mirrors prior to focusing the light onto targets. We have successfully implemented such mirrors in collaborations with the Center for Intense Pulsed Lasers (CLPU) in Salamanca Spain in preliminary experiments with their 200 Terawatt (TW) laser system. Such powerful magnetic fields could lead to enhanced guiding of electrons in high density plasma which would be very important for applications in Fast Ignition of Laser Fusion Energy systems. In addition we will study the propagation of proton and electron beams in solid density plasmas (called warm dens matter) of relevance to the interior of stars and laser fusion ignition and burn physics and Thomson scattering of high intensity pulses from individual electrons which can then be used as a peak intensity diagnostic for laser beams. We are also developing the next generation of efficient diode pumped high power (multi-TW) lasers systems, suitable for real scientific and industrial applications. This includes both picosecond ceramic disk based chirped pulse amplification (CPA) Yb:YAG lasers and femtosecond Optical Parametric Chirped pulse amplification lasers.

拟议的研究将研究MEV电子和MEV质子产生的相对论方案中的高强度（10^18至10^21 w/cm2）激光 - plasma相互作用，以及使用激光诱导的分解光谱（LIB）来检测重金属污染物中的重金属污染物。 The former investigations target a number of applications, including: (1) fusion energy where such MeV particles can be used for Fast Ignition of Laser Fusion in a compressed fuel pellet, significantly reducing the required laser system energies from the standard self ignition approaches and (2) super compact laser driven MeV particle sources for applications in (a) subpicosecond radiography, (b) radioisotope production (c) proton cancer激光融合能源系统的治疗和快速点火驱动器。低强度调查的目标是开发基于现场的可便携式激光系统，用于测量水质，特别是重金属污染，在偏远地区和第三世界国家。 我们正在针对高强度激光等离子体应用探索的一种新型方法是使用新开发的轨道角模式（OAM）或“涡流”模式光脉冲，它们在Laguerre-Gaussian束中带有额外的角动量。 当光被吸收驱动圆电流并产生大型轴向轴向磁场时，可以将这种额外的角动量耦合到血浆中的电子中。 尽管在许多理论研究中都预测了这些领域，但尚无实验测量来验证这些预测。我们已经开发了一种简单的技术，可以通过将特殊设计的螺旋楼梯镜插入最终的转弯镜之一，然后将光线聚焦到目标上，从而在高强度激光系统中生成此类OAM模式。我们已经与西班牙Salamanca的强烈脉冲激光中心（CLPU）合作实施了此类镜子，并与其200 thawatt（TW）激光系统进行了初步实验。如此强大的磁场可能会导致高密度血浆中电子的指导，这对于在激光融合能量系统的快速点火中非常重要。此外，我们将研究与恒星内部和激光融合点火和燃烧物理学以及汤森（Thomson）散射的固体密度等离子体中质子和电子束的传播，以及从单个电子中的汤姆森散射，然后可以用作激光束的峰值诊断。 我们还开发了下一代有效的二极管泵送高功率（Multi-TW）激光系统，适用于真正的科学和工业应用。 这包括基于Picsecond陶瓷磁盘的搅动脉冲放大（CPA）YB：YAG激光器和飞秒光学参数chirped脉冲放大激光器。