Illustration of Ion Acceleration Using a Laser (IMAGE)

Chalmers University of Technology

Illustration of Ion Acceleration Using a Laser

Caption

A laser beam (from the right) falls onto a thin foil, with a mirror on the rear side. The beam is reflected, forming a standing wave. Because of the systematical variation in wavelength of the laser pulse, the crests of the wave start to move. This drags the electrons (red) and ions (green) along, accelerating them to high speeds in the direction of the arrows.

Credit

Felix Mackenroth

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