ion/proton spectrometers | HP spectroscopy

Customized ion / proton spectrometers

angularly resolved energy spectra
charge information on ion species
high energy resolution: >10% at 50MeV
wide acceptance angle of 30°
spectral analysis software package

HP ion spectrometers represent a major improvement over the traditional Thomson parabola. Due to their high energy resolution of >10% combined with angular resolution, they provide high-accuracy estimates for conversion efficiencies from laser into particle energy. In addition, their significantly increased acceptance angle of 30° allows for much more realistic measurements. Spectral information is provided for each charged ion species.

Multiple parameters can be investigated simultaneously, minimizing the impact of shot-to-shot fluctuations. The HP ion spectrometer is thus perfectly suited for low repetition rate lasers.

Our ion spectrometers are operated with state-of-the-art detectors:

high-sensitivity image plates
scintillators
MCPs

Careful instrument design ensures that direct and stray laser light and x-rays from the laser-plasma interaction is shielded from the detector.

Results

Image plate with experimentally obtained ion traces from the wide-angle ion spectrometer. Electric, resp. magnetic field deflection correspond to the vertical, resp. horizontal axis. The dashed lines indicate simulated traces. The color scale gives the photo-stimulated luminescence of the image plate.

L. Senje et al, Diagnostics for studies of novel laser ion acceleration mechanisms

Rev. Sci. Instrum. 85, 113302 (2014)

Applications

laser ion acceleration
distinguish different acceleration mechanisms
(Target Normal Sheath Acceleration TNSA,
Radiation Pressure Acceleration RPA,
Break-Out Afterburner BOA)