How a proton beam can double its energy


Photographer: Yen Strandqvist/Chalmers University of Technology

A standard laser generated proton beam is created through firing a laser pulse at a thin metallic foil. The new method involves instead first splitting the laser into two less intense pulses, before firing both at the foil from two different angles simultaneously. When the two pulses collide on the foil, the resultant electromagnetic fields heat the foil extremely efficiently. The technique results in higher energy protons whilst using the same initial laser energy as the standard method.

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