Laser-induced Particle Acceleration

One of the core issues of HI-Jena’s research program is the acceleration of charged particles, especially electrons and protons, through the use of high-power laser sources. In the long term, incorporation of novel laser-induced acceleration techniques into convential accelerator structures, employed at the GSI and DESY accelerator facilities.

Besides this major project, numerous studies and measurement campaigns, researching the acceleration of electrons, protons and light ions, are conducted using the JETI and POLARIS systems in Jena, as well as the PHELIX laser at GSI Helmholtz Centre. Different target types are employed for laser-induced acceleration, depending at the type of particles used. Studies to optimize solid, gaseous and droplet targets, and further development of methods for diagnosis of the generated particle and photon beams, represent a key component of the research program.