The miniaturization of particle accelerators via Dielec tric Laser Acceleration (DLA) * offers a route to ultra compact, cost-effective devices poweredbycommerciallaser systems. This work explores the extension of DLA technol ogy—historically focused on electrons—to protons, aiming to enable "on-chip" sources of high energy hadrons. We present the design and simulation of a novel microstruc ture optimized for the acceleration of non-relativistic pro tons. Key challenges addressed include the management of phase slippage and the requirement for strong transverse confinement of heavy particles at low β. This study aims to demonstrate the potential for stable acceleration and fo cusing, validating the pDLA(proton-DLA) ** concept as a viable candidate for future compact accelerator architectures.
Marcia et al. (2026) studied this question.