Laser ion sources for various applications

This contribution presents the results of studies of ion emission from the high-Z plasma generated using short wavelength, short pulse lasers: Nd:glas s laser at the IPPLM in Warsaw and iodine laser PERUN at the IP ASCR in Pra gue. These studies were motivated mainly by the laser-produced plasma appli cations as a heavy ion source for particle accelerators and for ion implant ation. The properties of highly charged ion streams were investigated by io n diagnostic methods: ion collectors and a-cylindrical electrostatic energy analyzer. The results proved the existence of highly charged ions with cha rges z>40 (measured z(max)=55 for Ta) and with energies of several MeV in a far expansion zone. Ion current densities higher than 20 mA/cm(2) at about 1 m from the target were demonstrated. Construction of an effective laser heavy ion source seems thus to be not a principal, but rather a technologic al problem. ECLISE experiment (ECR ion source coupled to a laser ion source for charge state enhancement) has been founded by INFN LNS in Catania and preliminary experiments have been carried out at the IPPLM in Warsaw, in or der to confirm the beneficial effects of the axial magnetic field of the EC R ion source on the extraction of ions from the LIS, and to evaluate the io n energy, which is the critical parameter for the coupling process. Direct implantation of ions from laser produced plasma has been investigated using PERUN laser system at the IP ASCR in Prague. Attention was devoted mainly to the properties of the ion streams from the laser-produced plasmas (Sn, P b, Ag) as well as to the direct implantation of those ions into different m aterials.