Charged-particle acceleration through laser irradiation of thin foils at Prague Asterix Laser System

Thin foils, 0.5–50 μm in thickness, have been irradiated in vacuum at Prague Asterix Laser System in Prague using 10^15–16 W cm⁻² laser intensity, 1315 nm wavelength, 300 ps pulse duration and different focal positions. Produced plasmas from metals and polymers films have been monitored in the forward and backward directions. Ion and electron accelerations have been investigated by using Thomson parabola spectrometer, x-ray streak camera, ion collectors and SiC semiconductor detectors, the latter employed in time-of-flight configuration. Ion acceleration up to about 3 MeV per charge state was measured in the forward direction. Ion and electron emissions were detected at different angles as a function of the irradiation conditions. (paper)