Proton- and x-ray beams generated by ultra-fast CO[sub]2[/sub] lasers for medical applications

Igor Pogorelsky; Mikhail Polyanskiy; Vitaly Yakimenko; Ilan Ben-Zvi; Peter Shkolnikov; Zulfikar Najmudin; Charlotte A. J. Palmer; Nicholas P. Dover; Piernicola Oliva; Massimo Carpinelli

doi:10.1117/12.889113

25 May 2011 Proton- and x-ray beams generated by ultra-fast CO₂ lasers for medical applications

Igor Pogorelsky, Mikhail Polyanskiy, Vitaly Yakimenko, Ilan Ben-Zvi, Peter Shkolnikov, Zulfikar Najmudin, Charlotte A. J. Palmer, Nicholas P. Dover, Piernicola Oliva, Massimo Carpinelli

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 8079, Laser Acceleration of Electrons, Protons, and Ions; and Medical Applications of Laser-Generated Secondary Sources of Radiation and Particles; 80791L (2011) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.889113
Event: SPIE Optics + Optoelectronics, 2011, Prague, Czech Republic

Abstract

Recent progress in using picosecond CO₂ lasers for Thomson scattering and ion-acceleration experiments underlines their potentials for enabling secondary radiation- and particle- sources. These experiments capitalize on certain advantages of long-wavelength CO₂ lasers, such as higher number of photons per energy unit, and favorable scaling of the electrons' ponderomotive energy and critical plasma density. The high-flux x-ray bursts produced by Thomson scattering of the CO₂ laser off a counter-propagating electron beam enabled high-contrast, time-resolved imaging of biological objects in the picosecond time frame. In different experiments, the laser, focused on a hydrogen jet, generated monoenergetic proton beams via the radiation-pressure mechanism. The strong power-scaling of this regime promises realization of proton beams suitable for laser-driven proton cancer therapy after upgrading the CO₂ laser to sub-PW peak power. This planned improvement includes optimizing the 10-μm ultra-short pulse generation, assuring higher amplification in the CO₂ gas under combined isotopic- and power-broadening effects, and shortening the postamplification pulse to a few laser cycles (150-200 fs) via chirping and compression. These developments will move us closer to practical applications of ultra-fast CO₂ lasers in medicine and other areas.

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Igor Pogorelsky, Mikhail Polyanskiy, Vitaly Yakimenko, Ilan Ben-Zvi, Peter Shkolnikov, Zulfikar Najmudin, Charlotte A. J. Palmer, Nicholas P. Dover, Piernicola Oliva, and Massimo Carpinelli "Proton- and x-ray beams generated by ultra-fast CO₂ lasers for medical applications", Proc. SPIE 8079, Laser Acceleration of Electrons, Protons, and Ions; and Medical Applications of Laser-Generated Secondary Sources of Radiation and Particles, 80791L (25 May 2011); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.889113

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KEYWORDS

Carbon dioxide lasers

X-rays

Picosecond phenomena

Laser applications

Electrons

Pulsed laser operation

Plasma

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