High Power Photonic Band Gap Engineering: Accelerators and RF Sources
Lead Research Organisation:
Lancaster University
Department Name: Engineering
Abstract
Ranging from physics to biology, particle accelerators give scientists a unique tool for probing ultra small scale structure. Of the eight RC-UK accelerator based facilities in the UK six are driven by EPSRC science and engineering. These tools have enabled scientists to examine the structure of the human genome, to probe the structure of exotic materials, to probe and identify the ultimate constituents of matter, and to understand the very origins of the universe and the reasons why the universe is the way it is. Their use is not just limited to the realm of the research scientist: particle accelerators are used in a number of applications from diagnostic and therapeutic medicine, to the production of plastics with memory, and the sterilisation of the food we eat. The availability and usage of these facilities is generally limited by their sheer size and cost, and by deeper underling issues that limit their performance. A possible solution to all these problems could very well found in the use of Photonic Band Gap (PBG) structures and exotic materials, which has major implications for the vacuum electronics industry, in particular for particle acceleration.The PBG structures discussed here are not the hybrid nanostructures usually discussed in optical physics, but a collection of macroscopic metallic/dielectric rods arranged in a periodic lattice. The alignment of the of the rods relative to each other creates periodic variation that prevents Electro-Magnetic (EM) fields from propagating though the lattice.Removing one of these rods creates a defect in the periodic lattice which allows EM fields of a specific frequency to enter into the lattice and propagate through the. This gap can be engineered in such a way as to allow only a very narrow band of wavelengths to pass through the geometry, and the oversized nature of these PBG structures means that high frequency RF structures can be manufactured with ease.A survey of the literature reveals surprisingly few papers on the application of PBG structures for high power microwave applications, currently only one group have successfully used resonant PBG's to accelerate particles, and only a small number of groups are currently investigating the use of PBG's for RF generationThis proposal sets out to establish an interdisciplinary team with a critical-mass in the area of PBG structures for particle acceleration and RF generation at Lancaster University. We will examine the application of novel and exotic materials, developed using cutting edge physics and materials science, to create new PBG structures for the production of RF and the acceleration of particles. This project sets out to study PBG structures theoretically, numerically, and experimental, using PBG to both generate RF and accelerate particles. With the aim of exploiting new areas in materials science and physics to demonstrate the possibilities of an entirely new technology, which could ultimately lead to PBG tabletop particle accelerators and high power RF sources. Throughout the research project there will be a strong emphasis on Knowledge Transfer both between industry and academia.
Organisations
- Lancaster University (Lead Research Organisation)
- University of New Mexico (Collaboration)
- Ohio State University (Collaboration)
- University of California, Irvine (Collaboration)
- Airforce Office of Scientific Research (Collaboration)
- Louisiana State University (Collaboration)
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Collaboration)
People |
ORCID iD |
Rebecca Seviour (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
Zarrebini Arash
(2010)
3D Simulation of the Effects of Surface Defects on Field Emitted Electrons
in Conf.Proc.C
Taylor Jordan
(2016)
A Fixed Field Alternating Gradient Accelerator for Helium Therapy
Barlow Roger
(2016)
Characterisation of the Spectra of Spallation Neutron Sources through Modelling
Seviour Rebecca
(2016)
Compact Accelerator Based Neutron Source for 99mTc Production
Peach K
(2013)
Conceptual design of a nonscaling fixed field alternating gradient accelerator for protons and carbon ions for charged particle therapy
in Physical Review Special Topics - Accelerators and Beams
Xu Yiming
(2010)
Design of Photonic Crystal Klystrons
in Conf.Proc.C
Seviour Rebecca
(2010)
Dispersion Engineering and Disorder in Photonic Crystals for Accelerator Applications
in Conf.Proc.C
Description | Airforce Office of Scientific Research |
Amount | $80,000 (USD) |
Funding ID | FA8655-10-1-3082 |
Organisation | Airforce Office of Scientific Research |
Sector | Public |
Country | United States |
Start | 06/2013 |
End | 07/2014 |
Description | Airforce Office of Scientific Research |
Amount | $5,000,000 (USD) |
Funding ID | FA9550-17-1-0197 |
Organisation | European Office of Aerospace Research & Development (EOARD) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 03/2017 |
End | 03/2019 |
Description | European Research Council |
Amount | £140,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | EUCARD |
Organisation | European Research Council (ERC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | Belgium |
Start |
Description | Transformative EM materials |
Amount | £540,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Airforce Office of Scientific Research |
Sector | Public |
Country | United States |
Start | 06/2010 |
End | 06/2017 |
Description | MURI: Transformative EM media |
Organisation | Airforce Office of Scientific Research |
Country | United States |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | - My 2009 paper on Metamaterial Wave amplification acted as the cornerstone for this research initiative - 12 publications ~ 30 Talks |
Collaborator Contribution | - UoM Coordinates the activity - Multiple research infrastructure available to all member partners - PhD training programme - Monthly PhD student presentations (via Skype) |
Impact | - |
Start Year | 2012 |
Description | MURI: Transformative EM media |
Organisation | Louisiana State University |
Country | United States |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | - My 2009 paper on Metamaterial Wave amplification acted as the cornerstone for this research initiative - 12 publications ~ 30 Talks |
Collaborator Contribution | - UoM Coordinates the activity - Multiple research infrastructure available to all member partners - PhD training programme - Monthly PhD student presentations (via Skype) |
Impact | - |
Start Year | 2012 |
Description | MURI: Transformative EM media |
Organisation | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Department | Plasma Science and Fusion Center |
Country | United States |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | - My 2009 paper on Metamaterial Wave amplification acted as the cornerstone for this research initiative - 12 publications ~ 30 Talks |
Collaborator Contribution | - UoM Coordinates the activity - Multiple research infrastructure available to all member partners - PhD training programme - Monthly PhD student presentations (via Skype) |
Impact | - |
Start Year | 2012 |
Description | MURI: Transformative EM media |
Organisation | Ohio State University |
Department | Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Science |
Country | United States |
Sector | Hospitals |
PI Contribution | - My 2009 paper on Metamaterial Wave amplification acted as the cornerstone for this research initiative - 12 publications ~ 30 Talks |
Collaborator Contribution | - UoM Coordinates the activity - Multiple research infrastructure available to all member partners - PhD training programme - Monthly PhD student presentations (via Skype) |
Impact | - |
Start Year | 2012 |
Description | MURI: Transformative EM media |
Organisation | University of California, Irvine |
Country | United States |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | - My 2009 paper on Metamaterial Wave amplification acted as the cornerstone for this research initiative - 12 publications ~ 30 Talks |
Collaborator Contribution | - UoM Coordinates the activity - Multiple research infrastructure available to all member partners - PhD training programme - Monthly PhD student presentations (via Skype) |
Impact | - |
Start Year | 2012 |
Description | MURI: Transformative EM media |
Organisation | University of New Mexico |
Department | Electrical and Computer Engineering Department |
Country | United States |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | - My 2009 paper on Metamaterial Wave amplification acted as the cornerstone for this research initiative - 12 publications ~ 30 Talks |
Collaborator Contribution | - UoM Coordinates the activity - Multiple research infrastructure available to all member partners - PhD training programme - Monthly PhD student presentations (via Skype) |
Impact | - |
Start Year | 2012 |