High Power Proton Beams Genrated with the Z-Petawatt Laser*

The Z-Petawatt laser system has been built up in stages over the last few years. It has been used to generate and characterize ion beam emission from solid density targets. These experiments addressed radiography and energy deposition on secondary targets, partly to be applied at the Z-Accelerator facility at Sandia National Laboratories as the capabilities of Z-Petawatt evolve. Cu, Al, Pd and Au targets were used for Target-Normal-Sheath- Acceleration of protons and heavier ions. Results from parametric studies on target edge emission will be presented along with experiments on ballistic and magnetic proton beam focusing.