Laser-Plasma Interactions at the Intensity Frontier: the Transition to the QED-Plasma Regime

Lead Research Organisation: Imperial College London
Department Name: Physics

Abstract

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Description We successfully measured the effect of radiation reaction in the collision of an ultra intense laser with an electron beam for the first time. This has already been published in PRX and received significant media coverage.

We have also worked on understanding the exact experimental parameters that will be needed to properly distinguish between different models of this radiation reaction process.
Exploitation Route The next generation of laser labs (e.g. ELI) will be performing similar experiments to ours, pushing the intensity frontier and we are already talking with those labs on the best ways to repeat our experiment. The gamma rays have some potential in imaging of dense material and we are investigating those with DSTL
Sectors Energy

Other
 
Description As with much research in fundamental physics, the non academic impact of this work concerns the engagement with the general public that it has generated. The main academic result - a paper demonstrating the first evidence of strong field QED in laser-electron collisions - attracted significant attention in the media. It was picked up by 16 news outlets including the Independent, reached over 50K followers on Twitter and made it onto Wikipedia. It has also been talked about in public outreach lectures, including one on Youtube which has had nearly 2000 views. This work has also had a significant impact on science policy - in that since it came out a number of major facilities with the stated aim of carrying out the next experiments in this area of fundamental physics have been funded including the NSF ZEUS facility and the NSF OPAL facility in the USA and the Vulcan 20-20 project in the UK
First Year Of Impact 2018
Sector Education,Other
Impact Types Societal

Policy & public services
 
Description The new intensity frontier: exploring quantum electrodynamic plasmas
Amount £506,289 (GBP)
Funding ID EP/V049577/1 
Organisation Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 06/2021 
End 06/2025
 
Description UMich collaboration 
Organisation University of Michigan
Country United States 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution We supplied access to our experimental beam time and data to the Michigan team.
Collaborator Contribution The university of Michigan Team sent over a PhD student for the experiment which they funded directly.
Impact Main paper from the study - Cole PRX
Start Year 2015
 
Description PRX press release 
Form Of Engagement Activity A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Following publication of our PRX on radiation reaction we issued a press release. Altmetrics has found that this resulted in reports by 15 new outlets, including an article in the Independent. It was tweeted about 18 times, reaching up to 22,000 followers
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2018
URL https://aps.altmetric.com/details/32793590/
 
Description Recreating stars and quasars with lasers and plasma accelerators - youtube 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact Public lecture on Prof Mangles Research, streamed live on Youtube. 1.8K views.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kfw2sq4HnGI