High performance compact magnetic spectrometers for energetic ion and electron measurement in ultraintense short pulse laser solid interactions.

ABSTRACT

An ultraintense short pulse lasers incident on solid targets can generate relativistic electrons that then accelerate energetic protons and ions. These fast electrons and ions can effectively heat the solid target, beyond the region of direct laser interaction, and are important to realizing the fast ignition concept. To study these energetic ions and electrons produced from the laser-target interactions, we have developed a range of spectrometers that can cover a large energy range (from less than 0.1 MeV to above 100 MeV). They are physically compact, high performance, and low cost. We will present the basic design of these spectrometers and the test results from recent laser experiments.