# Direction and divergence control of laser-driven energetic proton beam using a disk-solenoid target

## TL;DR

This paper proposes a laser-driven method to control the direction and divergence of energetic proton beams using a disk-solenoid target, enabling precise beam steering for applications in high-energy-density physics and medicine.

## Contribution

It introduces a novel target design with a solenoid coil to achieve controlled proton beam direction and collimation through sheath field manipulation.

## Key findings

- Proton beams can be directed parallel to the solenoid axis.
- Overlap of sheath fields reduces proton spread angle.
- Proton properties are tunable via solenoid parameters.

## Abstract

A scheme for controlling the direction of energetic proton beam driven by intense laser pulse is proposed. Simulations show that a precisely directed and collimated proton bunch can be produced by a sub-picosecond laser pulse interacting with a target consisting of a thin solid-density disk foil with a solenoid coil attached to its back at the desired angle. It is found that two partially overlapping sheath fields are induced. As a result, the accelerated protons are directed parallel to the axis of the solenoid, and their spread angle is also reduced by the overlapping sheath fields. The proton properties can thus be controlled by manipulating the solenoid parameters. Such highly directional and collimated energetic protons are useful in the high-energy-density as well as medical sciences.