Parameter Study on Radiation Therapy with Laser-Accelerated Electrons Using a Sharp Density Transition Scheme

Abstract

A parameter study of radiation therapy with laser-accelerated electrons using a sharp density transition scheme was performed via computer simulations. Through particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations, a study of the optimum conditions for the generation of a monoenergetic electron beam was conducted. The beam quality can be controlled by adjusting the laser focal spot size. The charge of the electron bunch is related to the area of the phase mixing region. An electron bunch with the maximum charge was produced in the maximum area of the mixing region in a specific focal spot case. The energy spread of the electron bunch increases with increasing focal spot size owing to the nonlocalized acceleration phase of the wakefield in the larger focal spot case. The transverse bunch size decreases with increasing focal spot size from the narrower transverse size of the ion cavity in the larger focal spot. The dosimetric properties of these very-high-energy electron beams were calculated using Monte Carlo simulations.