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Ultra-Fast High-Precision Metallic Nanoparticle Synthesis using Laser-Accelerated Protons.

ABSTRACT: Laser-driven proton acceleration, as produced during the interaction of a high-intensity (I?>?1 × 10¹⁸?W/cm²), short pulse (<1?ps) laser with a solid target, is a prosperous field of endeavor for manifold applications in different domains, including astrophysics, biomedicine and materials science. These emerging applications benefit from the unique features of the laser-accelerated particles such as short duration, intense flux and energy versatility, which allow obtaining unprecedented temperature and pressure conditions. In this paper, we show that laser-driven protons are perfectly suited for producing, in a single sub-ns laser pulse, metallic nanocrystals with tunable diameter ranging from tens to hundreds of nm and very high precision. Our method relies on the intense and very quick proton energy deposition, which induces in a bulk material an explosive boiling and produces nanocrystals that aggregate in a plasma plume composed by atoms detached from the proton-irradiated surface. The properties of the obtained particles depend on the deposited proton energy and on the duration of the thermodynamical process. Suitably controlling the irradiated dose allows fabricating nanocrystals of a specific size with low polydispersity that can easily be isolated in order to obtain a monodisperse nanocrystal solution. Molecular Dynamics simulations confirm our experimental results.

SUBMITTER: Barberio M

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7293332 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Ultra-Fast High-Precision Metallic Nanoparticle Synthesis using Laser-Accelerated Protons.

Barberio M M Giusepponi S S Vallières S S Scisció M M Celino M M Antici P P

Scientific reports 20200612 1

Laser-driven proton acceleration, as produced during the interaction of a high-intensity (I > 1 × 10<sup>18</sup> W/cm<sup>2</sup>), short pulse (<1 ps) laser with a solid target, is a prosperous field of endeavor for manifold applications in different domains, including astrophysics, biomedicine and materials science. These emerging applications benefit from the unique features of the laser-accelerated particles such as short duration, intense flux and energy versatility, which allow obtaining ...[more]

PMID: 32532997

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Project description:The on-going developments in laser acceleration of protons and light ions, as well as the production of strong bursts of neutrons and multi-[Formula: see text] photons by secondary processes now provide a basis for novel high-flux nuclear physics experiments. While the maximum energy of protons resulting from Target Normal Sheath Acceleration is presently still limited to around [Formula: see text], the generated proton peak flux within the short laser-accelerated bunches can already today exceed the values achievable at the most advanced conventional accelerators by orders of magnitude. This paper consists of two parts covering the scientific motivation and relevance of such experiments and a first proof-of-principle demonstration. In the presented experiment pulses of [Formula: see text] at [Formula: see text] duration from the PHELIX laser produced more than [Formula: see text] protons with energies above [Formula: see text] in a bunch of sub-nanosecond duration. They were used to induce fission in foil targets made of natural uranium. To make use of the nonpareil flux, these targets have to be very close to the laser acceleration source, since the particle density within the bunch is strongly affected by Coulomb explosion and the velocity differences between ions of different energy. The main challenge for nuclear detection with high-purity germanium detectors is given by the strong electromagnetic pulse caused by the laser-matter interaction close to the laser acceleration source. This was mitigated by utilizing fast transport of the fission products by a gas flow to a carbon filter, where the [Formula: see text]-rays were registered. The identified nuclides include those that have half-lives down to [Formula: see text]. These results demonstrate the capability to produce, extract, and detect short-lived reaction products under the demanding experimental condition imposed by the high-power laser interaction. The approach promotes research towards relevant nuclear astrophysical studies at conditions currently only accessible at nuclear high energy density laser facilities.

Dataset Information

Ultra-Fast High-Precision Metallic Nanoparticle Synthesis using Laser-Accelerated Protons.

Publications

Ultra-Fast High-Precision Metallic Nanoparticle Synthesis using Laser-Accelerated Protons.

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