High-quality dense laser-accelerated proton beams for hadron cancer therapy

Simulations based on the coupled relativistic equations of motion show that protons stemming from laser-plasma processes (e.g. target normal sheath acceleration) can be efficiently post-accelerated employing pulsed laser beams in different configurations focused to spot radii on the order of the laser wavelength. We demonstrated earlier (2010) that the laser fields produce quasi-monoenergetic accelerated protons with kinetic energies exceeding 200 MeV, small energy spreads of about 1% and high densities as required for hadron cancer therapy. To our knowledge, this is the first scheme allowing for this important application based on a laser set-up.