Beam intensity and quality predictions for laser-accelerated ions after capture and transport

TL;DR

This paper develops a framework for optimizing and assessing capture and transport systems for laser-accelerated ion beams, focusing on improving beam quality and injection into conventional accelerators.

Contribution

It introduces a new numerical framework and scaling laws that relate beam divergence and emittance growth to initial beam parameters, aiding in system optimization.

Findings

Performance is primarily limited by divergence.

Scaling laws link transmission to initial divergence.

Predictions on divergence reduction needed for better injection.

Abstract

Laser-plasma acceleration produces ultrashort, high-brightness ion beams reaching tens of MeV, yet their large divergence and broad energy spread require dedicated capture elements for beam transport. Using laser-accelerated protons from the GSI PHELIX laser to the LIGHT beamline as a reference, we developed a framework to optimize and assess such combined capture and transport systems, with emphasis on injection into conventional accelerators. In addition to our numerical analysis we derive scaling laws linking transmission and chromatic emittance growth to the initial half-opening angle, showing that the present performance is primarily divergence-limited. We also estimate and predict the longitudinal bunch quality and quantify the divergence reduction needed to approach injector-relevant intensities.