• High Power Laser Science and Engineering
  • Vol. 13, Issue 2, 02000e14 (2025)
E. J. Hume1,*, P. Köster1, F. Baffigi1, F. Brandi1..., D. Calestani2, G. Cristoforetti1, L. Fulgentini1, L. Labate1, A. Marasciulli1,5, S. Morris3, D. Palla1, M. Salvadori1, M. Villani2, L. A. Gizzi1 and K. L. Lancaster4|Show fewer author(s)
Author Affiliations
  • 1Intense Laser Irradiation Laboratory (ILIL), INO-CNR, Pisa, Italy
  • 2IMEM-CNR, Parma, Italy
  • 3Department of Physics, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
  • 4York Plasma Institute, University of York, York, UK
  • 5Current address: INFN Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso, LNGS-INFN, Assergi, AQ, Italy
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    DOI: 10.1017/hpl.2025.5 Cite this Article Set citation alerts
    E. J. Hume, P. Köster, F. Baffigi, F. Brandi, D. Calestani, G. Cristoforetti, L. Fulgentini, L. Labate, A. Marasciulli, S. Morris, D. Palla, M. Salvadori, M. Villani, L. A. Gizzi, K. L. Lancaster, "An investigation of the emittance of escaping fast electron beams from planar and nanowire targets," High Power Laser Sci. Eng. 13, 02000e14 (2025) Copy Citation Text show less

    Abstract

    Fast electron generation and transport in high-intensity laser–solid interactions induces X-ray emission and drives ion acceleration. Effective production of these sources hinges on an efficient laser absorption into the fast electron population and control of divergence as the beam propagates through the target. Nanowire targets can be employed to increase the laser absorption, but it is not yet clear how the fast electron beam properties are modified. Here we present novel measurements of the emittance of the exiting fast electron beam from irradiated solid planar and nanowire targets via a pepper-pot diagnostic. The measurements indicate a greater fast electron emittance is obtained from nanowire targets. Two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations support this conclusion, revealing beam defocusing at the wire–substrate boundary, a higher fast electron temperature and transverse oscillatory motion around the wires.
    $$\begin{align}{\epsilon}_x=\sqrt{<{x}^2> <{x}^{\prime2}>-}^2},\end{align}$$ ((1))

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    ϵx21N2{j=1pnj(xhjx)2j=1p[njσxj2+nj(xjx)2](j=1pnjxhjxjNxx)2}, ((2))

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    E. J. Hume, P. Köster, F. Baffigi, F. Brandi, D. Calestani, G. Cristoforetti, L. Fulgentini, L. Labate, A. Marasciulli, S. Morris, D. Palla, M. Salvadori, M. Villani, L. A. Gizzi, K. L. Lancaster, "An investigation of the emittance of escaping fast electron beams from planar and nanowire targets," High Power Laser Sci. Eng. 13, 02000e14 (2025)
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