Scientists at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory have achieved a significant milestone in laser-plasma accelerator (LPA) technology.
They have generated fast, bright proton beams by using the power of a simple water stream.
This breakthrough addresses long-standing challenges and brings LPA technology closer to real-world applications.
“These exciting results pave the way for new applications of relativistic high-power lasers for applications in medicine, accelerator research, and inertial fusion,” said Siegfried Glenzer, director of the High Energy Density Science division at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory.
Addressing challenges of LPAs
Traditional particle accelerators, like synchrotrons, use electromagnets to generate these beams….