Detection of short lived radioisotopes as a fast diagnostic for intense laser-solid interactions

Summary, in English

As a diagnostic of high-intensity laser interactions (> 10(19) W cm(-2)), the detection of radioactive isotopes is regularly used for the characterization of proton, neutron, ion, and photon beams. This involves sample removal from the interaction chamber and time consuming post shot analysis using NaI coincidence counting or Ge detectors. This letter describes the use of in situ detectors to measure laser-driven (p,n) reactions in Al-27 as an almost real-time diagnostic for proton acceleration. The produced Si-27 isotope decays with a 4.16 s half-life by the predominantly beta+ emission, producing a strong 511 keV annihilation peak. (c) 2006 American Institute of Physics.

• Author: R. J. Clarke; K. W. D. Ledingham; P. McKenna; L. Robson; T. McCanny; D. Neely; Olle Lundh; Filip Lindau; Claes-Göran Wahlström; P. T. Simpson; M. Zepf
• Department/s: Atomic Physics
• Publishing year: 2006
• Language: English
• Publication/Series: Applied Physics Letters
• Volume: 89
• Issue: 14
• Full text: - 234 kB; Download statistics
• Links: http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.2358940
• Document type: Journal article
• Publisher: American Institute of Physics (AIP)
• Topic: Atom and Molecular Physics and Optics
• Status: Published
• ISBN/ISSN/Other: ISSN: 0003-6951