Experimental characterisation of charged particle beams accelerated by irradiating thin targets of different materials with ultrashort laser pulses

We present the results of experimental investigation of ion and electron fluxes produced by irradiating thin foils with laser USPs. These experiments were carried out on the Sokol-P laser facility (pulse duration ~1 ps, power ~20 TW) using lavsan, aluminium, and copper targets of equal thickness (~5 mm). Ions were recorded employing Thomson spectrometers and a time-of-flight spectrometer with a silicon semiconductor detector. To record electrons, use was made of electron spectrometers involving the rotation of particle trajectories by 180° in magnetic field. The ionic composition of the charged particle beam was determined and the beam shape was investigated in relation to the target material.