Alexandru Calboreanu, Nuclo-laser Physics. Prospects for research.

Thursday 25 Mar 2010, 10:00 → 11:00 Europe/Bucharest

The capability of high-power lasers to release and accelerate charged particles has opened a new area of intense investigation at the confluence of nuclear, plasma and laser physics. Multi MeV electron, proton and heavier ions are produced when thin targets are exposed to bunches of ultra intense ( 1018 - 1020 W/cm2 ). As large amounts of particles are produced in a single shot, they can be used directly for very diversified tasks: medical tomography (positron PET), oncology (p), imaging (e, p), nuclear transmutation, fusion, fundamental research, etc. Many of the applications that once were the monopoly of particle accelerators can be conveniently performed using much cheaper and versatile laser-based devices. There are still many technical impediments and limitations that have to be overcome, but the prospects for a new generation of particle accelerators is encouraging. The communication presents the status of electron, proton and heavier ion acceleration by a laser driven process. Mechanisms of acceleration are discussed and the results of new simulations and comparison with experimental data are illustrated. Prospects for experiments that can be carried out using ELI facility, aiming at providing plasma and system diagnostic, basic nuclear research and applications in various areas are finally suggested.