Orientation-Dependent Ion Acceleration from Laser-Irradiated Rectangular Nanorings

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates through simulations that rectangular nanoring targets enhance laser-driven ion acceleration by improving energy absorption and cutoff energy, with geometry and orientation playing key roles.

Contribution

It introduces the use of rectangular nanoring targets and shows their effectiveness in boosting ion acceleration in laser-plasma interactions.

Findings

Rectangular nanorings increase energy absorption during laser irradiation.

Optimal orientation of nanorings enhances field confinement and ion acceleration.

Nanorings enable more efficient and controllable laser-driven ion sources.

Abstract

Laser-driven ion acceleration from nanostructured targets offers a promising route to compact, high-energy ion sources. In this work, we demonstrate through particle-in-cell simulations that rectangular nanoring targets significantly enhance energy absorption and increase the cutoff energy of laser-accelerated ions. The nanoring geometry enables strong field confinement within its hollow core when optimally oriented relative to the laser polarization, leading to hotter electron populations and more robust sheath acceleration. These results demonstrate that rectangular nanorings offer a versatile platform for controlling laser-plasma interactions at solid densities and advancing compact, high-repetition-rate particle sources.