Extreme Physics driven by High Intensity Laser Plasma
Lead Research Organisation:
Imperial College London
Department Name: Physics
Abstract
The student will contribute to the experimental and data analysis aspects of the TeX-MeX project which aims to study extreme conditions using laser wakefield accelerators. Experiments will use laser wakefield accelerators to generate high energy electron beams that can be used to probe extreme conditions.
The student's work will mostly contribute to the following work packages:
WP1: Hot Dense matter This concerns the study of matter at or above solid density heated to temperatures in excess of 100 eV. Experiments will take the form of time resolved X-ray absorption spectroscopy using the X-rays produced by a laser wakefield acceleration to probe a heated sample (via fast electron heating).
WP2: Warm Dense Matter
This concerns the study of matter at or above solid density heated to temperatures at temperatures around 1 10 eV. High resolution X-ray absorption spectroscopy will be employed to study the behaviour of this exotic state of matter.
WP3: Extreme Photon densities. This concerns the study of extreme photon densities: for example, in high density X-ray fields, or extremely high-density laser fields electron positron pairs can be produced.
Experiments will take place at the CLF in the UK and other international laser facilities, to be determined, but likely to include Hercules at the University of Michigan, the MEC at LCLS and the BELLA facility at LBNL.
The student's work will mostly contribute to the following work packages:
WP1: Hot Dense matter This concerns the study of matter at or above solid density heated to temperatures in excess of 100 eV. Experiments will take the form of time resolved X-ray absorption spectroscopy using the X-rays produced by a laser wakefield acceleration to probe a heated sample (via fast electron heating).
WP2: Warm Dense Matter
This concerns the study of matter at or above solid density heated to temperatures at temperatures around 1 10 eV. High resolution X-ray absorption spectroscopy will be employed to study the behaviour of this exotic state of matter.
WP3: Extreme Photon densities. This concerns the study of extreme photon densities: for example, in high density X-ray fields, or extremely high-density laser fields electron positron pairs can be produced.
Experiments will take place at the CLF in the UK and other international laser facilities, to be determined, but likely to include Hercules at the University of Michigan, the MEC at LCLS and the BELLA facility at LBNL.
People |
ORCID iD |
| Stuart Mangles (Primary Supervisor) | |
| Eva LOS (Student) |
Studentship Projects
| Project Reference | Relationship | Related To | Start | End | Student Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ST/S505833/1 | 01/10/2018 | 30/09/2023 | |||
| 2351615 | Studentship | ST/S505833/1 | 01/10/2018 | 23/12/2022 | Eva LOS |
| Title | Inference of electron beam chirp using Bayesian Statistics |
| Description | Given a model for the interaction between an electron bunch and a counter-propagating laser, allows the chirp of the electron beam and other parameters governing the collision to be inferred |
| Type Of Material | Data analysis technique |
| Year Produced | 2021 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Writing up results for publication |
| Title | Radiation Reaction Dataset |
| Description | Measurements of the energy loss of electrons when interacting with a counter-propagating high-power laser, and the gamma radiation emitted by the electrons. The aim of this experiment was to differentiate between different models of radiation reaction (e.g. classical, semi-classical, QED) by comparing the predictions each of these models make regarding the energy loss of the electrons, and the energy spectrum of the gamma radiation they emit, to the experimental data. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2018 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Papers in preparation, an improved version of this experiment is due to start in 2021. |
| Title | X-ray Absoption Spectroscopy Dataset |
| Description | Time-resolved spectroscopic measurements of cold and heated/partially melted copper taken at the k-edge. Data also contains time-resolved information on the electronic and ionic structure and temperature of the copper as it is heated. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2020 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Several papers in preparation |
| Description | BELLA, LBNL |
| Organisation | Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory |
| Country | United States |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Collaborated on an experiment at the BELLA Laser lab at LBNL. Experimental goals: use betatron radiation from a laser-driven wakefield accelerator to image a laser-driven shock in a (high repetition rate) water jet. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Training of and knowledge sharing with our team members |
| Impact | Upcoming experiment (post-poned due to COVID) in which we aim to fully realise experimental goals of the last experiment, which were partially fulfilled. |
| Start Year | 2019 |
| Description | Queen's University Belfast |
| Organisation | Queen's University Belfast |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Collaborating on an experiment at the Central Laser Facility at Rutherford Appleton Laboratories |
| Collaborator Contribution | Helped to set up the experiment and take data. Involved in preliminary data analysis. |
| Impact | Dataset taken, papers hopefully to come. |
| Start Year | 2020 |
| Description | SLAC |
| Organisation | Stanford University |
| Department | SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory |
| Country | United States |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Collaborated on an experiment at the Matter in Extreme conditions department at SLAC. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Helped to set up the experiment and take data. Also involved with data analysis. |
| Impact | Papers in preparation. |
| Start Year | 2019 |