Carbon nanotube foams (CNFs) have been successfully used as near-critical-density targets in the laser-driven acceleration of high-energy ions and electrons. Here we report the recent advances in the fabrication technique of such targets. With the further developed floating catalyst chemical vapor deposition (FCCVD) method, large-area ( $>25\kern0.5em {\mathrm{cm}}^2$ ) and highly uniform CNFs are successfully deposited on nanometer-thin metal or plastic foils as double-layer targets. The density and thickness of the CNF can be controlled in the range of $1{-}13\kern0.5em \mathrm{mg}/{\mathrm{cm}}^3$ and $10{-}200\kern0.5em \mu \mathrm{m}$ , respectively, by varying the synthesis parameters. The dependence of the target properties on the synthesis parameters and the details of the target characterization methods are presented for the first time.

中文翻译：

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制备大面积均匀碳纳米管泡沫作为激光等离子体实验的近临界密度目标

碳纳米管泡沫 (CNF) 已成功用作激光驱动的高能离子和电子加速中的近临界密度目标。在这里，我们报告了此类靶材制造技术的最新进展。随着浮动催化剂化学气相沉积（FCCVD）方法的进一步发展，大面积（ $>25\kern0.5em {\mathrm{cm}}^2$ ) 和高度均匀的 CNF 成功地沉积在纳米薄金属或塑料箔上作为双层靶材。CNF的密度和厚度可以控制在 $1{-}13\kern0.5em \mathrm{mg}/{\mathrm{cm}}^3$ 和 $10{-}200\kern0.5em \mu \mathrm{m}$ ，分别通过改变合成参数。首次提出了目标属性对合成参数的依赖性以及目标表征方法的细节。