Sprecher
Beschreibung
Advances in laser technology are pushing the repetition-rate of petawatt scale lasers into the multi-Hz regime. As repetition-rates increase, novel target and diagnostic solutions are required to fully exploit the latest laser facilities. Nanometer scale solid-density foils currently exhibit the most promising ion acceleration mechanisms for applications, reaching > 100 MeV, however slow manual alignment limits shot rates to multiple minutes.
In this presentation, we will present progress towards developing a platform for high repetition-rate (HRR, > 0.1 Hz) laser-plasma interactions utilising nano-meter scale thin, solid-density foil targets. Multiple ion acceleration mechanisms compete in this regime and measurements are typically highly variable and sensitive to laser and target conditions, motivating the need for increased volume of data and as a result an increase in target alignment rates.
We present an automated alignment and positioning system for nanometer thickness foils which enables laser-driven ion acceleration to reach the highest possible accelerated energies whilst operating in a HRR mode with minimal human operation. This system delivers automated alignment at a repetition-rate of a few minutes per shot without human operation and further development will progress towards shot rates under a minute, advancing studies probing fundamental plasma physics, radiobiology, radiation damage and ultrafast imaging.
