A light-weight compact proton gantry design with a novel dose delivery system for broad-energetic laser-accelerated beams.
TL;DR: A multi-functional light-weight and compact proton gantry design for laser-driven sources based on iron-less pulsed high-field magnets, which includes improved beam capturing and energy selection systems, with a novel beam shaping and dose delivery system, so-called ELPIS.
Abstract: Proton beams may provide superior dose-conformity in radiation therapy. However, the large sizes and costs limit the widespread use of proton therapy (PT). The recent progress in proton acceleration via high-power laser systems has made it a compelling alternative to conventional accelerators, as it could potentially reduce the overall size and cost of the PT facilities. However, the laser-accelerated beams exhibit different characteristics than conventionally accelerated beams, i.e. very intense proton bunches with large divergences and broad-energy spectra. For the application of laser-driven beams in PT, new solutions for beam transport, such as beam capture, integrated energy selection, beam shaping and delivery systems are required due to the specific beam parameters. The generation of these beams are limited by the low repetition rate of high-power lasers and this limitation would require alternative solutions for tumour irradiation which can efficiently utilize the available high proton fluence and broad-energy spectra per proton bunch to keep treatment times short. This demands new dose delivery system and irradiation field formation schemes. In this paper, we present a multi-functional light-weight and compact proton gantry design for laser-driven sources based on iron-less pulsed high-field magnets. This achromatic design includes improved beam capturing and energy selection systems, with a novel beam shaping and dose delivery system, so-called ELPIS. ELPIS system utilizes magnetic fields, instead of physical scatterers, for broadening the spot-size of broad-energetic beams while capable of simultaneously scanning them in lateral directions. To investigate the clinical feasibility of this gantry design, we conducted a treatment planning study with a 3D treatment planning system augmented for the pulsed beams with optimizable broad-energetic widths and selectable beam spot sizes. High quality treatment plans could be achieved with such unconventional beam parameters, deliverable via the presented gantry and ELPIS dose delivery system. The conventional PT gantries are huge and require large space for the gantry to rotate the beam around the patient, which could be reduced up to 4 times with the presented pulse powered gantry system. The further developments in the next generation petawatt laser systems and laser-targets are crucial to reach higher proton energies. However, if proton energies required for therapy applications are reached it could be possible in future to reduce the footprint of the PT facilities, without compromising on clinical standards.
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Journal Article•
TL;DR: In this paper, the acceleration of impurity-free quasimononenergetic proton beams from an initially gaseous hydrogen target driven by an intense infrared (λ=10 μm) laser was observed.
Abstract: We report on the acceleration of impurity-free quasimononenergetic proton beams from an initially gaseous hydrogen target driven by an intense infrared (λ=10 μm) laser. The front surface of the target was observed by optical probing to be driven forward by the radiation pressure of the laser. A proton beam of ∼MeV energy was simultaneously recorded with narrow energy spread (σ∼4%), low normalized emittance (∼8 nm), and negligible background. The scaling of proton energy with the ratio of intensity over density (I/n) confirms that the acceleration is due to the radiation pressure driven shock.
171 citations
Journal Article•
TL;DR: In this article, the first-ever kinetic simulations of the Breakout Afterburner (BOA) in three dimensions are presented, showing that the ion beam forms lobes in the direction orthogonal to laser polarization and propagation.
Abstract: Breakout afterburner (BOA) laser-ion acceleration has been demonstrated for the first time in the laboratory. In the BOA, an initially solid-density target undergoes relativistically induced transparency, initiating a period of enhanced ion acceleration. First-ever kinetic simulations of the BOA in three dimensions show that the ion beam forms lobes in the direction orthogonal to laser polarization and propagation. Analytic theory presented for the electron dynamics in the laser ponderomotive field explains how azimuthal symmetry breaks even for a symmetric laser intensity profile; these results are consistent with recent experiments at the Trident laser facility.
143 citations
TL;DR: The New Journal of Physics 2020 Plasma Accelerator Roadmap provides a summary overview of the field and insights into the research needs and developments for an international audience of scientists, including graduate students and researchers entering the field as mentioned in this paper.
Abstract: Author(s): Albert, F; Couprie, ME; Debus, A; Downer, MC; Faure, J; Flacco, A; Gizzi, LA; Grismayer, T; Huebl, A; Joshi, C; Labat, M; Leemans, WP; Maier, AR; Mangles, SPD; Mason, P; Mathieu, F; Muggli, P; Nishiuchi, M; Osterhoff, J; Rajeev, PP; Schramm, U; Schreiber, J; Thomas, AGR; Vay, JL; Vranic, M; Zeil, K | Abstract: Plasma-based accelerators use the strong electromagnetic fields that can be supported by plasmas to accelerate charged particles to high energies. Accelerating field structures in plasma can be generated by powerful laser pulses or charged particle beams. This research field has recently transitioned from involving a few small-scale efforts to the development of national and international networks of scientists supported by substantial investment in large-scale research infrastructure. In this New Journal of Physics 2020 Plasma Accelerator Roadmap, perspectives from experts in this field provide a summary overview of the field and insights into the research needs and developments for an international audience of scientists, including graduate students and researchers entering the field.
84 citations
German National Metrology Institute1, Curie Institute2, National Physical Laboratory3, Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare4, Spanish National Research Council5, Polytechnic University of Milan6, University of Caen Lower Normandy7, Varian Medical Systems8, National Research Council9, University of Santiago de Compostela10, University Hospital of Lausanne11, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf12, Dresden University of Technology13, Queen's University Belfast14
TL;DR: An overview of the current state of developments of radiotherapy with FLASH electrons and protons, very high energy electrons as well as laser-driven particles and the related challenges in dosimetry due to the ultra-high dose rate during the short radiation pulses is given.
62 citations
02 Apr 2018
TL;DR: The ELIMAIA beamline has been designed and developed at the Institute of Physics of the Academy of Science of the Czech Republic (IoP-ASCR) in Prague and at the National Laboratories of Southern Italy of the National Institute for Nuclear Physics (LNS-INFN) in Catania (Italy) as discussed by the authors.
Abstract: The main direction proposed by the community of experts in the field of laser-driven ion acceleration is to improve particle beam features (maximum energy, charge, emittance, divergence, monochromaticity, shot-to-shot stability) in order to demonstrate reliable and compact approaches to be used for multidisciplinary applications, thus, in principle, reducing the overall cost of a laser-based facility compared to a conventional accelerator one and, at the same time, demonstrating innovative and more effective sample irradiation geometries. The mission of the laser-driven ion target area at ELI-Beamlines (Extreme Light Infrastructure) in Dolni Břežany, Czech Republic, called ELI Multidisciplinary Applications of laser-Ion Acceleration (ELIMAIA) , is to provide stable, fully characterized and tuneable beams of particles accelerated by Petawatt-class lasers and to offer them to the user community for multidisciplinary applications. The ELIMAIA beamline has been designed and developed at the Institute of Physics of the Academy of Science of the Czech Republic (IoP-ASCR) in Prague and at the National Laboratories of Southern Italy of the National Institute for Nuclear Physics (LNS-INFN) in Catania (Italy). An international scientific network particularly interested in future applications of laser driven ions for hadrontherapy, ELI MEDical applications (ELIMED), has been established around the implementation of the ELIMAIA experimental system. The basic technology used for ELIMAIA research and development, along with envisioned parameters of such user beamline will be described and discussed.
57 citations
Cites background from "A light-weight compact proton gantr..."
...For this reason, as an intermediate solution to make such beams attractive for users, a few experimental groups have developed hybrid methods (laser particle acceleration combined with conventional particle beam transport solutions) aimed at improving the main features of laser accelerated ion beams (divergence, spectral bandwidth, flux at the irradiated sample, shot-to shot stability) [19,20]....
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...For this reason, as an intermediate solution to make such beams attractive for users, a few experimental groups have developed hybrid methods (laser particle acceleration combined with conventional particle beam transport solutions) aimed at improving the main features of laser accelerated ion beams (divergence, spectral bandwidth, flux at the irradiated sample, shot-to-shot stability) [19,20]....
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References
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3,961 citations
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01 Oct 1993
TL;DR: In this paper, the Hamiltonian Resonance Theory and Hamiltonian Nonlinear Beam Dynamics (HNDD) are used to model the dynamics of coupled motion in a single particle.
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TL;DR: An intense collimated beam of high-energy protons is emitted normal to the rear surface of thin solid targets irradiated at 1 PW power and peak intensity 3x10(20) W cm(-2).
Abstract: An intense collimated beam of high-energy protons is emitted normal to the rear surface of thin solid targets irradiated at 1 PW power and peak intensity 3x10(20) W cm(-2). Up to 48 J ( 12%) of the laser energy is transferred to 2x10(13) protons of energy >10 MeV. The energy spectrum exhibits a sharp high-energy cutoff as high as 58 MeV on the axis of the beam which decreases in energy with increasing off axis angle. Proton induced nuclear processes have been observed and used to characterize the beam.
1,496 citations
TL;DR: An intense laser-plasma interaction regime of the generation of high density ultrashort relativistic ion beams is suggested and it is suggested that the laser energy is transformed efficiently into the energy of fast ions.
Abstract: An intense laser-plasma interaction regime of the generation of high density ultrashort relativistic ion beams is suggested. When the radiation pressure is dominant, the laser energy is transformed efficiently into the energy of fast ions.
951 citations
TL;DR: The historical background including the early laser-matter interaction studies on energetic ion acceleration relevant to inertial confinement fusion is reviewed and several implemented and proposed mechanisms of proton and/or ion acceleration driven by ultra-short high-intensity lasers are described.
Abstract: For many years, laser-driven ion acceleration, mainly proton acceleration, has been proposed and a number of proof-of-principle experiments have been carried out with lasers whose pulse duration was in the nanosecond range. In the 1990s, ion acceleration in a relativistic plasma was demonstrated with ultra-short pulse lasers based on the chirped pulse amplification technique which can provide not only picosecond or femtosecond laser pulse duration, but simultaneously ultra-high peak power of terawatt to petawatt levels. Starting from the year 2000, several groups demonstrated low transverse emittance, tens of MeV proton beams with a conversion efficiency of up to several percent. The laser-accelerated particle beams have a duration of the order of a few picoseconds at the source, an ultra-high peak current and a broad energy spectrum, which make them suitable for many, including several unique, applications. This paper reviews, firstly, the historical background including the early laser-matter interaction studies on energetic ion acceleration relevant to inertial confinement fusion. Secondly, we describe several implemented and proposed mechanisms of proton and/or ion acceleration driven by ultra-short high-intensity lasers. We pay special attention to relatively simple models of several acceleration regimes. The models connect the laser, plasma and proton/ion beam parameters, predicting important features, such as energy spectral shape, optimum conditions and scalings under these conditions for maximum ion energy, conversion efficiency, etc. The models also suggest possible ways to manipulate the proton/ion beams by tailoring the target and irradiation conditions. Thirdly, we review experimental results on proton/ion acceleration, starting with the description of driving lasers. We list experimental results and show general trends of parameter dependences and compare them with the theoretical predictions and simulations. The fourth topic includes a review of scientific, industrial and medical applications of laser-driven proton or ion sources, some of which have already been established, while the others are yet to be demonstrated. In most applications, the laser-driven ion sources are complementary to the conventional accelerators, exhibiting significantly different properties. Finally, we summarize the paper.
886 citations