Effect of target composition on proton acceleration by intense laser pulses in the radiation pressure acceleration regime

The characteristics of high energy protons generated from thin carbon-proton mixture targets via circularly polarized intense laser pulses are investigated using two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations. It is found that the density ratio n between protons and carbon ions plays a key role in determining the acceleration dynamics. For low n values, the protons are mainly accelerated by the radiation pressure acceleration mechanism, resulting in a quasi-monoenergetic energy spectrum. The radiation pressure acceleration mechanism is enhanced by the directed-Coulomb-explosion of carbon ions which gives a high proton maximum energy, though a large energy spread, for high n values. From a proton acceleration point of view, the role of heavy ions is very important. The fact that the proton energy spectrum is controllable based on the target composition is especially useful in real experimental environments.