5.5-7.5A MeV proton generation by a moderate-intensity ultrashort-pulse laser interaction with H₂O nanowire targets

We report on the first generation of 5.5-7.5A MeV protons by a moderate-intensity short-pulse laser (∼5×1017W/cm2, 40A fsec) interacting with frozen H₂O nanometer-size structure droplets (snow nanowires) deposited on a sapphire substrate. In this setup, the laser intensity is locally enhanced by the snow nanowire, leading to high spatial gradients. Accordingly, the nanoplasma is subject to enhanced ponderomotive potential, and confined charge separation is obtained. Electrostatic fields of extremely high intensities are produced over the short scale length, and protons are accelerated to MeV-level energies.