Guided acceleration of nanoparticles by laser irradiated parallel gold nanorods

Abstract

Laser irradiated parallel gold nanorods with interspersed deuterium nanoparticles are shown to offer guided acceleration of nanoparticles. The laser pulse of intensity exceeding 1018 W cm−2 at 1 μm wavelength and pulse duration ∼30 fs causes full ionization of nanoparticles and high state ionization of gold atoms and pushes out the free electrons via the ponderomotive force. The charged nanorods have an electric field that has transverse component towards the axis of symmetry and axial field outwards. Thus the nanoparticles are accelerated axially while confined transversely. Deuterium beam of a few MeV energy can be produced by this technique.