Studies of ion acceleration in a one meter laser controlled collective accelerator

The first- and second-generation Laser Controlled Beamfront Experiments are described. Control over the propagation of a virtual cathode at the front of an intense relativistic electron beam is achieved by a time-sequenced plasma channel produced by laser-target interactions. Ions are trapped and accelerated by the very strong electric fields (50-400 MV/m) at the virtual cathode. Theoretical studies of the model, ion production, initial ion acceleration phase, and of the laser-controlled beam front are presented.<
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