182 unifying physics of accelerators, lasers and plasma
relativistic transparency of an initially solid target. As a result, this leads to the enhancement of ion acceleration via the
TNSA mechanism.
Shock acceleration is a mechanism 13 based on the appearance of a high Mach number electrostatic shock in the
overdense plasma created by the sharp front of the laser
pulse. The propagating electrostatic shock will then reflect
the plasma ions to the doubled velocity of the shock, resulting
in an appearance of monochromatic proton peaks observed in
experiments using overdense gas jet targets.
As we can see, while the number of forthcoming theoretical and experimental tasks and questions is still very high
in this area, waiting for an inquisitive mind, there are mechanisms of proton plasma accelerations which, given the rate
of the laser technology progress, can already yield the practically useful techniques for creating beam therapy facilities
based on proton plasma acceleration.
9.6 Glimpse into the future
Creating a more compact and affordable design of a proton
therapy facility is a formidable task, one that is attracting the
attention of many research teams worldwide. The plasma acceleration community, together with laser and conventional
acceleration communities, are joining forces to solve this task.
Techniques of beam control and energy selection, along
with methods of capturing divergent and chromatic beams,
all developed alongside conventional accelerators and combined with novel opportunities enabled by modern and future lasers, should help us to find a way to create a viable
design and a prototype system that can be used efficiently in
practice.
In Chapter 10, we will briefly review various methods of
beam control and manipulation. Some of these methods can
be particularly applicable to the design of a plasma proton
acceleration facility.
13 L. Silva et al., PRL 92, 015002 (2004); D. Haberberger et al., Nature Phys.,
8, 95 (2012).
relativistic transparency of an initially solid target. As a result, this leads to the enhancement of ion acceleration via the
TNSA mechanism.
Shock acceleration is a mechanism 13 based on the appearance of a high Mach number electrostatic shock in the
overdense plasma created by the sharp front of the laser
pulse. The propagating electrostatic shock will then reflect
the plasma ions to the doubled velocity of the shock, resulting
in an appearance of monochromatic proton peaks observed in
experiments using overdense gas jet targets.
As we can see, while the number of forthcoming theoretical and experimental tasks and questions is still very high
in this area, waiting for an inquisitive mind, there are mechanisms of proton plasma accelerations which, given the rate
of the laser technology progress, can already yield the practically useful techniques for creating beam therapy facilities
based on proton plasma acceleration.
9.6 Glimpse into the future
Creating a more compact and affordable design of a proton
therapy facility is a formidable task, one that is attracting the
attention of many research teams worldwide. The plasma acceleration community, together with laser and conventional
acceleration communities, are joining forces to solve this task.
Techniques of beam control and energy selection, along
with methods of capturing divergent and chromatic beams,
all developed alongside conventional accelerators and combined with novel opportunities enabled by modern and future lasers, should help us to find a way to create a viable
design and a prototype system that can be used efficiently in
practice.
In Chapter 10, we will briefly review various methods of
beam control and manipulation. Some of these methods can
be particularly applicable to the design of a plasma proton
acceleration facility.
13 L. Silva et al., PRL 92, 015002 (2004); D. Haberberger et al., Nature Phys.,
8, 95 (2012).