Graphene micrometric particles have been embedded into polyethylene at different concentrations by using chemical–physical processes. The synthesized material was characterized in terms of mechanical and optical properties, and Raman spectroscopy. Obtained targets were irradiated by using a Nd:YAG laser at intensities of the order of 1010 W/cm2 to generate non-equilibrium plasma expanding in vacuum. The laser–matter interaction produces charge separation effects with consequent acceleration of protons and carbon ions. Plasma was characterized using time-of-flight measurements of the accelerated ions. Applications of the produced targets in order to generate carbon and proton ion beams from laser-generated plasma are presented and discussed.

Laser generated plasmas from target normal sheath acceleration produce energetic ions from the rear side of the target due to the formation of a high directive electric field. Fast electrons are ejected from the rear side of the target and a successive Coulomb explosion is driven by the fast electrons generating a high electric field of double layer. The ion acceleration is mainly controlled by the laser intensity and by the square of the laser wavelength. Literature reports that at intensities of the order of 1018 W/cm2 and at wavelengths of about 1 µm the ion energy is of the order of 5 MeV/nucleon. The use of advanced targets realized with the aim to reduce the surface reflection, to increase the laser absorption coefficient and, with an optimal thickness, to increase the electric field of the double layer, permits to enhance the ion energy acceleration, so that the energy of 5.0 MeV per charge state can be reached at about 1016 W/cm2, as it will be presented and discussed.