D Roa¹*, S Nicks², T Tajima³, A Necas⁴, G Mourou⁵, F Tamanoi⁶, T Juhasz⁷, A Sahai⁸, (1) University Of California, Irvine, Orange, CA, (2) University Of California, Irvine, ,,(3) University Of California, Irvine, ,,(4) TAE Technologies, ,,(5) Ecole Polytechnique, ,,FR, (6) University of Kyoto, University of California, Los Angeles, ,,(7) University Of California, Irvine, ,,(8) University of Colorado,

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  D Roa

(Sunday, 7/12/2020)   [Eastern Time (GMT-4)]

Room: AAPM ePoster Library

Purpose: To produce a low energy, keV to MeV, electron beam via laser wakefield acceleration (LWFA) that can be used for medical applications.

Methods: energy LWFA electron beams can be produced by a laser irradiating high density nanomaterials or plasma. This process was considered theoretically and simulated using the particle-in-cell (PIC) code EPOCH where a laser in vacuum enters a uniform high density plasma of electrons and protons. In this regime, the electron density is 0.1~1 times critical density.


Results: Calculations indicate that, for a laser beam intensity of 1016 W/cm2, a stream of low energy electrons can be ejected from the laser-matter interaction site. These electrons can have energies from 100 keV to 1 MeV and the electron fluence can be increased by increasing the laser pulse length.


Conclusion: LWFA in a high density matter can result in a compact device of low energy electrons. The electron energy range could have useful applications in radiotherapy like treatment of superficial lesions, interstitial insertion, endoscopic treatment, and/or Brachytherapy.

Keywords

Brachytherapy, Lasers, Beta Particles

Taxonomy

TH- Brachytherapy: Development (new technology and techniques)

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