Lab in a bubble

The lab in a bubble project is a timely investigation of the interaction of charged particles with radiation inside and in the vicinity of relativistic plasma bubbles created by intense ultra-short laser pulses propagating in plasma. It builds on recent studies carried out by the ALPHA-X team of coherent X-ray radiation from the laser-plasma wakefield accelerator and high field effects where radiation reaction becomes important. The experimental programme will be carried out using high power lasers and investigate new areas of physics where single-particle and collective radiation reaction and quantum effects become important, and where non-linear coupling and instabilities between beams, laser, plasma and induced fields develop, which result in radiation and particle beams with unique properties. Laser-plasma interactions are central to all problems studied and understanding their complex and often highly non-linear interactions gives a way of controlling the bubble and beams therein. To investigate the rich range of physical processes, advanced theoretical and experimental methods will be applied and advantage will be taken of know-how and techniques developed by the teams. New analytical and numerical methods will be developed to enable planning and interpreting results from experiments. Advanced experimental methods and diagnostics will be developed to probe the bubble and characterise the beams and radiation. An important objective will be to apply the radiation and beams in selected proof-of-concept applications to the benefit of society.
The project is involves a large group of Collaborators and Partners, who will contribute to both theoretical and experimental work. The diverse programme is managed through a synergistic approach where there is strong linkage between work-packages, and both theoretical and experiential methodologies are applied bilaterally: experiments are informed by theory at planning and data interpretation stages, and theory is steered by the outcome of experimental studies, which results in a virtuous circle that advances understanding of the physics inside and outside the lab in a bubble. We also expect to make major advances in high field physics and the development of a new generation of compact coherent X-ray sources.

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. holography of macro-molecules, 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 groups will become more competitive in a rapidly growing area of research that has many potential applications. A multi-disciplinary approach will develop flexibility to tackle challenging problems and be attractive to international projects, thus allowing the team to engage with and lead international projects.

The availability of an ultra-compact, ultra-short pulsed coherent X-ray source would have a very large impact on research. The impact would be multifarious - attosecond pulses would enable time-resolved studies that resolve electron motion. A soft X-ray source would resolve chemical dynamics i.e. changes in electronic structure associated with chemical reactions, in particular photochemical reactions (molecular electronics, optical sensors, photoactive proteins and photosynthesis). Attosecond pulses would allow monitoring of transitions fundamental to chemistry for the first time.

A compact X-ray wavelength source would enable much of the physics, chemistry and biological studies that are usually investigated using X-ray free-electron lasers (FELs) to be carried out with a much more compact source, which would make these powerful tools more widely available. The demand for FEL beam-time is extremely high. This would be alleviated by more available and compact sources. The group has applied for a patent and will pursue commercialisation of the compact coherent X-ray source if successful. This may lead to a huge impact and benefit to the UK economy. Academia and industry are likely to gain from the development of more compact coherent radiation sources. A compact coherent X-ray source would have a major impact on the pharmaceuticals industry and health care because reduced cost would make them more widely available.
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 application of the technology in radiotherapy and imaging, it could have a high impact on the quality of life of cancer patients. There is a demand for improving cancer therapy. 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 gamma-ray sources could have an impact on the detection of explosives, which would contribute global security. Imaging of stored nuclear waste could also have an impact on the legacy of nuclear power generation.

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.