High brightness laser induced multi-mev electron/proton sources

The chirped pulse amplification (CPA) technique has opened new perspectives in the radiation-matter interaction studies using ultra-short laser pulses at ultra-relativistic intensities. In particular the original idea, proposed by Tajima and Dawson, of accelerating electrons by the huge electric fields of plasma waves which develop in the wake of a laser pulse propagating in a plasma, become feasible. Some laboratories all over the world have produced by such a technique collimated electron busts of hundreds of MeV along acceleration lengths of a few hundreds of microns. In other experiments, using thin solid targets, intense bursts of energetic protons have been at the same time detected. The proton acceleration mechanism is essentially based on the Coulomb force appearing at the thin solid target surface as a consequence of the previous escape of the energetic electrons from the target. In the paper some experimental results will be presented as well as the opportunities the INFN PLASMONX project will offer in this research field at LNF.