University of Strathclyde - Equipment Account"

We propose to undertake an essential and cost effective upgrade of an existing high-power femtosecond laser system at Strathclyde to increase its output power, improve its stability and provide it with the necessary beam control and diagnostics systems to evaluate its performance and control (adjust) several important output beam parameters. The upgrade comprises a cryogenic cooler, to improve the power dissipation and thermal stability of the final laser amplifier Ti:sapphire crystal, a high-energy pump laser for the final amplifier, a wavefront sensor and deformable mirror system, to measure and control the wavefront phase, and an integrated 3rd-order cross-correlator, to measure the laser pulse contrast. The diagnostic systems are necessary to optimise the laser parameters and achieve the desired properties at focus. The cryo-cooler allows cooling of the final amplifier crystal to be increased from 28 W to 80 W, which enables the output power of the laser to be increased to 40 TW using the new high-energy pump laser. The upgraded will improve stability, increase intensity and shorten set-up and alignment times, thus increasing the usable time of the laser system to allow better use of the system and the beamline facilities at Strathclyde.
The upgraded laser will be used to deliver the objectives of a Critical Mass proposal (submitted simultaneously) that is part of the ALPHA-X project, which involves 5 universities (Strathclyde, Glasgow, St Andrews, Dundee & Lancaster), and external Collaborators. The research programme includes a study of collective radiation-beam-plasma interactions at high field intensities, the production of ultra-short duration high brightness particle beams from the laser-plasma wakefield accelerator (LWFA), development of new methods of producing coherent and incoherent radiation, and applications of the sources. The applications programme involves an investigation of using high energy electrons for radiotherapy and also methods to produce medical radio-isotopes for medical imaging. The facility will also be used as a platform for engaging with industry through proof-of-concept projects.The upgraded facilities will be transferred to the SUPA Scottish Centre for the Application of Plasma-based Accelerators (SCAPA) when the facility has been constructed.

Impact and relevance of the projects enabled by the upgraded laser will take place at several levels and on different timescales.

The impact of the research will be wide ranging, from pure academic research to advancing the field and exploring new regimes arising from moving into new parameter domains. In addition to new opportunities in basic research, there are numerous new applications, some of which could have a very high impact e.g. radiotherapy, nuclear fusion, imaging of dense matter, medical radio-isotope production. Basic research will feed into applications and deliver benefits to industry and ultimately the UK economy. Indirectly, trained scientists may find their way into industry. By setting a high standard for the research, and publishing in high impact journals, the group will become more competitive in a rapidly growing area of research, which has many potential applications. Multi-disciplinary approach will develop a flexibility to tackle challenging problems and be attractive to international projects, thus allowing the team to engage with and lead international projects. The most important dissemination paths enhancing the profile of the research in the academic community will be through publishing the outcomes of the research in high impact journals and presenting the work at national and international conferences.

The output of the research will have longer term but significant impact. As one of the objectives is on applications of the technology being developed, in particular in the health sector, we expect the project to have more immediate impact in radiotherapy and imaging, which has a high impact on society and quality of life.

There is a demand for improving cancer therapy in the UK. Particle therapy is currently seen as a possible route to improving treatment of certain types of cancer, particularly in young children. Compact accelerators and radiation sources could have impact on diagnosis of illnesses, e.g. by enabling on-site production of PET radioisotopes and other tracers. Recent reports have identified an impending acute shortage of medical radioisotopes because of the imminent decommissioning of reactors. Compact radiation sources could have an impact on detection of explosives and therefore on global insecurity. Imaging of stored nuclear waste could also have an impact on the legacy of nuclear power generation.

Academia and industry are likely to gain from the development of more compact coherent radiation sources. Furthermore, ultrashort gamma ray pulses should allow real time investigation of materials subject to stimuli. A compact coherent X-ray source based on laser plasma wakefield accelerators would have a major impact on the pharmaceuticals industry and health care because reduced cost would make them more widely available.

Employers will benefit from skilled workforce trained in a multidisciplinary environment. The immediate beneficiaries will be academic institutes, industry, NHS and government laboratories, but it is anticipated that the broad skills gained could be transferred to a diverse range of career pathways.