Kansai Institute for Photon Science 　|　Laser Driven Ion Accelerator Project

Outline of Research 

​By irradiating targets such as thin films or gases with ultrashort high-intensity lasers, it is possible to generate ion beams with energies ranging from several to tens of MeV per nucleon. At the Kansai Institute for Photon Science, we have been conducting research and development on laser-driven ion acceleration using a, ultrashort high-intensity laser (J-KAREN-P). We aim to further advance this technology and achieve the practical application of compact accelerators that utilize laser-driven ion acceleration phenomena. If we can achieve this, it will bring us closer to realizing the practical application of laser acceleration, a goal that has yet to be fully realized. Furthermore, the ion bunches generated by laser-driven acceleration are expected to be high-density, ultrashort bunches—which are difficult to produce using conventional accelerator technology—and we anticipate gaining important insights into the operation of accelerators at high current densities.

In this project, we are developing a 10 Hz ultrashort high-peak power titanium-sapphire laser. The repetition rate of our laser system is 100 times faster than that of J-KAREN-P. We are not only developing compact laser accelerators but also vigorously pursuing a wide range of research on the application of high-intensity laser technology, including ultra-fine processing and measurement techniques for material surfaces, as well as the development of remote sensing technology based on high-intensity laser development technology.

Members 

Main Research Activities

1. Development of a laser-accelerated carbon ion source​

Particle beam therapy using heavy-ion beams is attracting public attention from the perspective of quality of life, as it places a minimal burden on patients and facilitates their return to society after recovery. However, there are currently only seven heavy-ion cancer treatment facilities in Japan, including those under construction, and the number of patients who can receive treatment remains at only about 0.2% of new cancer patients. To promote the widespread adoption of heavy-ion cancer therapy, the miniaturization of equipment is essential. At KPSI, with support from the JST Future Society Creation Project and the QST Innovation Project, research is underway to miniaturize the ion injector—which injects ions into the synchrotron’s main accelerator—using laser-driven ion acceleration technology (Figure 1).

​

Figure１：Heavy ion radiotherapy system using laser driven ion accelerator

2.Development of Ultrafine Processing and Measurement Technologies

Baces on our accumulated expertise in developing high-stability, high-repetition-rate, high-contrast lasers and high-repetition-rate soft X-ray lasers, we are aiming to develop a high-average-power coherent soft X-ray light source (Fig. 2). We are also conducting research aimed at developing technologies for forming nanometer-scale microstructures by combining micro-focusing and pattern-writing technologies. Additionally, we are advancing the development of measurement technologies to observe the microstructure formation process.

(Fig. 2) We have successfully developed a soft X-ray laser capable of 10 Hz repetition rate (10 laser pulses per second) using gas plasma as the x-ray laser medium (a joint research achievement with Hiroshima University).

３．Remote Sensing Technology

We are conducting research on non-destructive inspection technologies for infrastructure using high-intensity lasers, as well as the advanced development of laser scanning sensing technologies (Fig. 3). In collaboration with the QST-certified venture “Photon Lab Co., Ltd.,” we are working to implement non-destructive infrastructure diagnostic technologies in society.

(Fig. 3) Experiment of defect inspection for tunnel wall using a laser hammering device (Fujinomiya City, Shizuoka Prefecture)

List of Achievements (Papers, Press Releases)

 papers [refereed papers]  (from 2023) 

2026

• ” Estimation of laser parameters for a carbon ion injector in a next generation compact heavy ion cancer therapy system”, Hata Masayasu,  Kojima Sadaoki,  Thanhhung Dinh,  Sakaki Hironao,  Kondo Kiminori,  Journal of Applied Physics, 139(1), 013106, 2026-01, DOI:10.1063/5.0296351
• “レーザー打音法による橋梁検査の遠隔・デジタル化手法の開発”, 長谷川　登,  長谷川 登,  錦野　将元,  岡田　大,  近藤　修司,  電気学会論文誌C, 146(4), 274 - 282, 2026-04, DOI:10.1541/ieejeiss.146.274
• “Evaluation of Inorganic-organic Hybrid Resist Materials with ultrafast coherent high harmonic generation (HHG) EUV system developed in QST”,  Yamamoto Hiroki,  Thanhhung Dinh,  Kozawa Takahiro ,  Namaba Shinichi ,  Ishino Masahiko,  Journal of Photopolymer Science and Technology, 38(3), 217 - 221, 2026-01, DOI:10.2494/photopolymer.38.217
• “Optical Design and Efficiency Measurement of an Extreme Ultraviolet High-Resolution Spectrometer for Unresolved Transition Array Research”,  Kawate Tomoko,  Tomoko Kawate,  H. A. Sakaue,  C. Suzuki,  N. Nakamura,  K. Tanaka,  E. Nakamura,  K. Fujii,  D. Kato,  Sasaki Akira,  I. Murakami,  Review of Scientific Instruments, 96, 043512, 2026-04, DOI:10.1063/5.0250066

2025

• ” Ultrathin glass as a continuously replaceable debris shield for laser systems”, Kojima Sadaoki, Sakaki Hironao, Inoue Norihiko, Kuriki Hiroyoshi, Shimizu Yusuke, Harada Hisanori, Dinh Thanh-Hung, Hata Masayasu, Hasegawa Noboru,  Mori Michiaki,  Ishino Masahiko,  Kiriyama Hiromitsu,  Miyasaka Yasuhiro,  Nishikino Masaharu,  Kando Masaki,  Shirai Toshiyuki,  Kondo Kiminori,  Review of Scientific Instruments, 96(8), 083001, 2025-08, DOI:10.1063/5.0268950
• ”Highly Stable and Efficient Spatiotemporal Filtering in Cross-Polarized Wave Generation via Nonlinearity Tailoring in Multi-Plate Crystals”, Dinh Thanh-Hung,  Mori Michiaki,  Nagashima Keisuke,  Kojima Sadaoki,  Hasegawa Noboru,  Ishino Masahiko,  Hata Masayasu,  Okada Hajime,  Aoyama Makoto,  Miyatake Tatsuhiko,  Sakaki Hironao,  Kando Masaki,  Shirai Toshiyuki,  Nishikino Masaharu,  Kondo Kiminori,  Optics express, 33(19), 21318 - 21327, (2025)
• “Demonstration and Real-Time Non-Destructive Diagnosis of a High-Flux Laser-Driven Proton Bunch”, Sakaki Hironao,  Kojima Sadaoki,  Suwada Tsuyoshi,  Thanhhung Dinh,  Tsutsui Hiroshi,  Touchi Yutaka,  Ohtomo Kiyotaka,  Matsumoto Haruya,  Aoki Nobuatsu,  Souda Hikaru,  Hata Masayasu,  Yamamoto Yoichi,  Itou Fuyumi,  Nishikino Masaharu,  Shirai Toshiyuki,  Kondo Kiminori, Review of Scientific Instruments, , 2025-09, DOI:10.1063/5.0274838
• ”Effects of hydrogen concentration in ablator material on stimulated Raman scattering, two-plasmon decay, and hot electrons for direct-drive inertial confinement fusion”, K. Kawasaki,  G. Cristoforetti,  T. Idesaka,  Y. Hironaka,  D. Tanaka,  D. Batani,  S. Fujioka,  L. A. Gizzi,  Hata Masayasu,  T. Johzaki,  K. Katagiri,  R. Kodama,  S. Matsuo,  H. Nagatomo,  Ph. Nicolai,  N. Ozaki,  Y. Sentoku,  R. Takizawa,  A. Yogo,  H. Yamada,  K. Shigemori, Physical Review Research, 5(3), 033051, (2025) 
• “Modeling of EUV Spectrum from Laser-Produced Sn Plasmas”, A. Sasaki, Plasma Fusion Research 20, 2401007 (2025); DOI: 10.1585/pfr.20.2401007.
• “Molecular dynamics study on clustered DNA damage: AP sites on the same strand”, K. Terakawa, S. Fujiwara, T. Mizuguchi, H. Nakamura, K. Akamatsu, N. Shikazono, Y. Yonetani, Biophysical Chemistry, 319, 107394, (2025); DOI: 10.1016/j.bpc.2025.107394.
• “プラズマシミュレーションのキャリア形成のモデリングへの応用”, 佐々木 明, プラズマ核融合学会誌 101, 10 (2025). 2024.

​2024

• ”Design of soft X-ray high diffraction efficiency and spectral flux Au/Ni bilayer coated laminar-type diffraction grating for objective soft X-ray flat-field spectrograph in a region of 250-550 eV”, K.  Masato,  T. Hatano,  Alexander Pirozhkov,  T. Murano,  Y. Ohue,  S. Koshiya,  T. Kakio, K. Kondo,  M. Terauchi, Review of scientific instruments, 95(12), 123102-1 - 123102-7, (2024) 
• ”Measuring the sensitivity of imaging plates to keV carbon ions”, Hayashi Yukio,  Mori Michiaki,  Kotaki Hideyuki,  Onoda Shinobu,  Yamada Keisuke,  Kando Masaki, Review of Scientific Instruments, 95(12), 123309, (2024)
• ”Estimation of a Plasma Mirror Reflectivity of LFEX Laser and Relevant Results Using Electron Energy Spectrometers”, Tetsuo Ozaki,  Eisuke Miura,  Kojima Sadaoki,  Yasunobu Arikawa,  Yuuki Abe,  Kohei Yamanoi,  Tomokazu Ikeda,  Katsuhiro Ishii,  Atsushi Sunahara,  Tomoyuki Johzaki,  Hiroshi Sawada,  Shinsuke Fujioka,  Hitoshi Sakagami,  Yoneyoshi Kitagawa,  Yoshitaka Mori, Plasma and Fusion Research, 17, 2404084, (2024)
• “Second harmonic generation of focused beams on the LFEX laser facility”、Arikawa Yasunobu,  Zhanngui Hu,  Tsubakimoto Koji,  Morace Alessio,  Takizawa Ryunosuke,  Shiraga Hiroyuki,  Nakai Mitsuo,  Pikuz Tatiana,  Martynenko S. Artem,  Iwata Natsumi,  Sentoku Yasuhiko,  Hata Masayasu,  Kojima Sadaoki,  Johzaki Tomoyuki,  Nakata Yoshiki,  Fujioka Shinsuke,  Yogo Akifumi,  Kodama Ryosuke、Optics Express, 32(16), 28390 - 28401, (2024)
• ”Soft X-ray high diffraction efficiency and spectral flux laminar-type W/B4C multilayer diffraction grating for 300-1000 eV”, Koike Masato,  Hatano Tadashi,  Alexander Pirozhkov,  Oue Yuki,  Murano Takanori,  Tsubasa Kakio,  Koshiya Shogo,  Kondo Kiminori,  Terauchi Masami, Review of Scientific Instruments, 95(7), 073104-1 - 073104-6, (2024)
• “Metrology for sub-Rayleigh-length target positioning in ~10^22 W/cm^2 laser-plasma experiments”、E. A. Vishnyakov,  Akito Sagisaka,  Koichi Ogura,  Esirkepov Timur,  Bruno Gonzalez izquierdo,  C. Armstrong,  T. A. Pikuz,  S. A. Pikuz,  W. Yan,  T. M. Jeong,  S. Singh,  P. Hadjisolomou,  O. Finke,  G. Grittani,  M. Nevrkla,  C. Lazzarini,  A. Velyhan,  Takehito Hayakawa,  Yuuji Fukuda,  James Kevin Koga,  Masahiko Ishino,  Kotaro Kondo,  Yasuhiro Miyasaka,  Akira Kon,  Masaharu Nishikino,  Y. V. Nosach,  D. Khikhlukha,  I. P. Tsygvintsev,  D. Kumar,  J. Nejdl,  D. Margarone,  P. V. Sasorov,  S. Weber,  Masaki Kando,  Hiromitsu Kiriyama,  Yoshiaki Kato,  G. Korn,  Kiminori Kondo,  Sergey Bulanov,  Tetsuya Kawachi,  Alexander Pirozhkov、High Power Laser Science and Engineering, 12,e32 15 pages,（2024）
• ”Experimental realization of near-critical-density laser wakefield acceleration: Efficient pointing 100-keV-class electron beam generation by microcapillary targets”,  M. Mori, E. B-Valdez, H. Kotaki, Y. Hayashi, M. Kando, K. Kondo, T. Kawachi, D. Strickland, T. Tajima、AIP Advances, 14, 035153（2024）
• “On the self-assembly of polarization domain observed in the relaxor ferroelectrics Pb[(Mg1/3Nb2/3)0.722Ti0.278]O3”, K. Namikawa, M. Ishino, K. Ohwada, E. Matsushita, N. Hasegawa, and M. Nishikino, Journal of Physics and Chemistry of Solids 192, 112106-1-112106-3 (2024); DOI: 10.1016/j.jpcs.2024.112106.
• ​“Unsolved problem of long-range interactions: Dipolar spin-ice study”, Y. Yonetani, Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter 36, 175401 (2024); DOI 10.1088/1361-648X/ad1ca6.
• “Effect of multiply excited states to the EUV emission from yttrium-like tin”, A. Sasaki, Applied Physics Letters, 124, 064104 (2024); DOI: 10.1063/5.0187576.
• “Ablation study using soft x-ray laser”, M. Ishino, K. Mikami, T.-H. Dinh, and M. Nishikino, Photonics Review 2024, 240202 (2024); DOI: 10.11470/photo.240202.
• “On the self-assembly of polarization domain observed in the relaxor ferroelectrics Pb[(Mg1/3Nb2/3)0.722Ti0.278]O3”, K. Namikawa, M. Ishino, K. Ohwada, E. Matsushita, N. Hasegawa, and M. Nishikino, Journal of Physics and Chemistry of Solids 192, 112106 (2024); DOI: 10.1016/j.jpcs.2024.112106.
• “Analyzing hydroxyl radical accessibility related to hydrogen abstraction in a DNA sugar moiety using biased molecular dynamics simulations”, R. Kawanami, S. Fujiwara, Y. Yonetani, and T. Aso, AIP Advances 14, 105318 (2024); DOI: 10.1063/5.0229017.
• “Three-Dimensional Surface Analysis of Iron-Based Materials Using Synchrotron Mössbauer Source”, K. Fujiwara, T. Mitsui, N. Hasegawa, M. Nishikino, Y. Kobayashi, K. Mibu, K. Shinoda, R. Masuda, and M. Seto, Applied Physics Express 17, 082002 (2024); DOI: 10.35848/1882-0786/ad67a8.
• “弾性波法による波形エネルギーを用いたコンクリート内部のうき・剥離の損傷レベル評価指標に関する研究”, 戸本悟史, 松永輝, 山田悠貴, 山根立行, 辻󠄀健斗, 中村光, 三浦泰人, 長谷川登, 土木学会 構造工学論文集 70A, 728 (2024).​

​2023​

• “Laminar-type gratings overcoated with carbon-based materials to enhance analytical sensitivity of flat-field emission spectrograph in the VUV region "、T. Murano,  S. Koshiya,  Koike Masato,  T. Hatano,  Alexander Pirozhkov,  T. Kakio,  N. Hayashi,  Y. Ohue,  K. Konishi,  T. Nagano,  K. Kondo,  M.Terauchi, Review of Scientific Instruments, 94(12), 125113, (2023)
• “Optimum design of double-layer target for proton acceleration by ultrahigh intense femtosecond lasers considering relativistic rising edge”, Hata Masayasu,  Sano Takayoshi,  Iwata Natsumi,  Sentoku Yasuhiko, Physical Review E, 108(3), 035205-1 - 035205-8, (2023)
• “Evaluation of the spatial resolution of GafchromicTM HD-V2 radiochromic film characterized by the modulation transfer function”、T. Miyatake,  S. Kojima,  H. Sakaki,  Thanh-Hung Dinh,  I. Takemoto,  M. Hata,  M. Nishikino,  Y.Watanabe,  M. Ishino, M. Mori,  J. Koga, Y. Yamamoto,  H. Ito,  M. Kando,  T. Shirai,  Ki. Kondo, AIP Advances, 13, 085303, (2023)
• “Induction heating for desorption of surface contamination for high-repetition laser-driven carbon-ion acceleration”、Sadaoki Kojima,  Tatsuhiko Miyatake,  Hironao Sakaki,  Hiroyoshi Kuroki,  Yusuke Shimizu,  Hisanori Harada,  Norihiro Inoue,  Thanhhung Dinh,  Hata Masayasu,  Hasegawa Noboru,  Mori Michiaki,  Ishino Masahiko,  Nishiuchi Mamiko,  Kondo Kotaro,  Nishikino Masaharu,  Kando Masaki,  Shirai Toshiyuki,  Kondo Kiminori、Matter and Radiation at Extremes, 8(5), 054002, (2023)
• “Design of a compact superconducting accelerator for advanced heavy-ion therapy”、Iwata Yoshiyuki,  Shirai Toshiyuki,  Mizushima Kota,  Matsuba Shunya,  Yang Ye,  Noda Etsuo,  Urata Masami,  Muramatsu Masayuki,  Katagiri Ken,  Yonai Shunsuke,  Inaniwa Taku,  Sato Shinji,  Abe Yasushi,  Fujimoto Tetsuya,  Sasano Toshinobu,  Shiraishi Tadahiro,  Suzuki Taku,  Takahashi Katsuyuki,  Kondo Kiminori,  Sakaki Hironao,  Nishiuchi Mamiko,  Orikasa Tomofumi,  Takayama Shigeki,  Amano Saki,  Kosuke  Nakanishi,  Tachibana Masanori,  Touchi Yutaka,  Tsubomatsu Satoshi,  Nomura Shinji、Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research A, 1053, 168312, (2023)
• “Enhanced ion acceleration from transparency-driven foils demonstrated at two ultraintense laser facilities”, NicholasPeter Dover,  Tim Ziegler,  Stefan Assenbaum,  Constantin Bernert,  Florian-Emanuel Brack,  Stefan Bock,   Thomas E. Cowan,  Emma J. Ditter,  Marco Garten,  Lennart Gaus,  Ilja Goethel,  George S. Hicks,  Kiriyama Hiromitsu,  Thomas Kluge,  James Kevin Koga,  Kon Akira,  Kondo Kotaro,   Stephan Kraft,  Florian Kroll,  HazelFrances Lowe,  Josefine Metzkes-Ng,  Miyatake Tatsuhiko,  Zulfikar Najmudin,  Thomas P¨uschel,  Martin Rehwald,  Marvin Reimold,  Sakaki Hironao,  Hans-Peter Schlenvoigt,  Shiokawa Keiichiro,  Umlandt Marvin Elias Paul,   Ulrich Schramm,  Karl Zeil,  Nishiuchi Mamiko, Light Science and Applications, 12, 71, (2023)
• “Damage threshold of LiF crystal irradiated by femtosecond hard XFEL pulse sequence”, S. Makarov, S. Grigoryev, N. Inogamov, E. Filippov, T. Pikuz, N. Ozaki, M. Ishino, M. Nishikino, T. -H. Dinh, T. Kawachi, M. Zanaveskin, M. Makita, M. Nakatsutsumi, T. R. Preston, K. Appel, Z. Konopkova, V. Cerantola, E. Brambrink, J. -P. Schwinkendorf, I. Mohacsi, V. Vozda, V. Hajkova, T. Burian, J. Chalupsky, L. Juha, V. Zhakhovsky, U. Zastrau, and S. Pikuz, Optics Express 31, 26383-26397 (2023); DOI: 10.1364/OE.486868.
• “Sub-nanometer scale depth patterning on sapphire crystal by femtosecond soft x-ray laser pulse irradiation”, K. Mikami, M. Ishino, H. Motoyama, T. -H. Dinh, S. Yokomae, G. Yamaguchi, S. Egawa, K. Sakaue, H. Mimura, T. Higashiguchi, Y. Kubota, S. Owada, A. Iwasaki, Y. Inubushi, and M. Nishikino, Optics Letters 48, 5041–5044 (2023); DOI: 10.1364/ol.501589.
• “Joint measurement of electron density, temperature, and emission spectrum of Nd:YAG laser-produced tin plasma”, Y. Pan, K. Tomita, A. Sunahara, A. Sasaki, K. Nishihara, Applied Physics Letters 123, 204103 (2023); DOI: 10.1063/5.0174185.
• “Spectral shift and split of harmonic lines in propagation affected high harmonic generation in a long-interaction gas tube”, J. Seres, E. Seres, C. Serrat, T. Dinh, N. Hasegawa, M. Ishino, M. Nishikino, and S. Namba, Atoms 11, 150 (2023); DOI: 10.3390/atoms11120150.
• “静電相互作用の実空間カットオフについての理論的検証”, 米谷佳晃, 分子シミュレーション学会誌アンサンブル 102, 167–170 (2023).
• “レーザー打音検査装置によるトンネル覆工コンクリートの診断支援技術の高度化”, 戸本悟史, 長谷川登, 岡田大, 近藤修司, 錦野将元, 中村光, 日本工業出版・検査技術 28, 7–14 (2023).
• “ジュール級パルスレーザーによるインフラ先進診断 -レーザー打音法-“, 長谷川登, 錦野将元, 岡田大, 近藤修司, 坂本勝哉, 木暮繁, 安倍正道, 戸本悟史, 中村光, レーザー研究 51, 579–584 (2023).
• “軟Ｘ線レーザーによる表面ナノ加工技術”, 石野雅彦, 日刊工業出版・クリーンテクノロジー誌 33, 71–75 (2023).

press releases (from 2023)

2025

• がん治療装置の普及を促進する『量子メス』に必要なイオン数の達成に見通し～レーザー光で加速したイオン速度を整えて個数を10倍増やす！　産業応用にも期待～, 2025-9.

2024

• がん組織近くで使える高エネルギー電子線をレーザーで発生―内視鏡型電子線発生装置を用いた放射線がん治療の実現へ―, 2024-3.

2023

• 道路政策の質の向上に資する技術研究開発（令和3年度採択）において、優秀技術開発賞を受賞しました, 2023-11.
• がん治療用新型イオン入射装置の原型機が完成 ～重粒子加速器の小型化をレーザー技術で目指す～, 2023-8.
• ～人の手に頼らないロボット点検技術のイノベーション～道路橋のレーザー打音検査によるリモート検査の実証実験, 2023-5.
• ～人の手に頼らないロボット点検技術のイノベーション～『レーザー打音検査装置』のタイルパネル診断支援への拡大,2023-3.