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Spectral study of the lateral trace-space of laser-driven proton beams

C. Salgado-López1,*, I. Rodríguez-Pérez1, J. I. Apiñaniz1, A. Curcio2, T. Cebriano1, A. Morabito1, L. Volpe1,3, and G. Gatti1

  • *Contact author: csalgado@clpu.es
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Phys. Rev. Research 7, 033277 – Published 23 September, 2025

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/ltz6-gqk4

Abstract

The characterization of the phase space of laser-driven proton beams—particularly across a broad energy spectrum—in spite of the recent interest in laser-driven particle accelerators, remains a significant challenge due to the complex interplay between transverse dynamics and spectral properties. This work presents a detailed spectral study of the lateral emittance of laser-driven proton beams, providing energy-resolved, single-shot measurements of the beam emittance by means of a magnetically streaked pepper-pot method. Experimental results from a laser-driven proton source demonstrate the ability to resolve the beam’s transverse trace space at various proton energies, yielding precise emittance estimations and highlighting the variation of beam quality with energy. The study emphasizes the necessity of high spectral resolution for accurate emittance characterization. The findings offer valuable implications for optimizing beamline design and improving the performance of future tabletop laser accelerators.

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Phys. Rev. Research 7, 033277– Published 23 September, 2025
  • Received 8 May 2025
  • Accepted 21 July 2025
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Published by the American Physical Society under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. Further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the published article's title, journal citation, and DOI.

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