Ultra-short and tuneable positron beams for high-resolution and volumetric inspection of materials
Lead Research Organisation:
Queen's University Belfast
Department Name: Sch of Mathematics and Physics
Abstract
Sub-micron defects represent a well-known fundamental problem in manufacturing since they significantly affect performance and lifetime of virtually any high-value component. Even small-scale defects can have a dramatic effect in the performance and lifetime of high-performance and high-value components, especially when made in, and required to perform under, hostile environments. Heat and pressure treatments, new welding methods, radiation exposure, impact damage, are all examples of scenarios that can leave sub-micron defects in materials during advanced manufacturing or extreme performance use.
Positron Annihilation Lifetime Spectroscopy (PALS) is arguably one of the most successful techniques for the non-invasive inspection of materials and identification of small-scale defects. PALS presents several unique advantages compared to other inspection techniques: it works virtually with any type of material (crystalline and amorphous, organic and inorganic, biotic and abiotic), it can identify even sub-nanometer defects with concentrations as low as less than a part per million, and it can provide information on the type of defect and its characteristic size.
PALS has found application in testing systems as diverse as turbines, polymers, semiconducting devices, biomimetic systems, zeolites, and solar cells.
However, PALS mainly suffers of two main limitations:
1) The available positron energy is limited to a few keV, only allowing for surface studies and,
2) The positron bunch duration is relatively long, strongly affecting the resolution of the technique.
Exploiting recent advances in laser-plasma particle acceleration, it is proposed here to develop a novel laser-driven source of MeV-scale positron beams that will allow, for the first time, volumetric and high-resolution scanning of bulk materials. The short duration of the laser-driven positron beams (~10s of ps) will also allow for a step-change improvement in the resolution of this technique.
Positron Annihilation Lifetime Spectroscopy (PALS) is arguably one of the most successful techniques for the non-invasive inspection of materials and identification of small-scale defects. PALS presents several unique advantages compared to other inspection techniques: it works virtually with any type of material (crystalline and amorphous, organic and inorganic, biotic and abiotic), it can identify even sub-nanometer defects with concentrations as low as less than a part per million, and it can provide information on the type of defect and its characteristic size.
PALS has found application in testing systems as diverse as turbines, polymers, semiconducting devices, biomimetic systems, zeolites, and solar cells.
However, PALS mainly suffers of two main limitations:
1) The available positron energy is limited to a few keV, only allowing for surface studies and,
2) The positron bunch duration is relatively long, strongly affecting the resolution of the technique.
Exploiting recent advances in laser-plasma particle acceleration, it is proposed here to develop a novel laser-driven source of MeV-scale positron beams that will allow, for the first time, volumetric and high-resolution scanning of bulk materials. The short duration of the laser-driven positron beams (~10s of ps) will also allow for a step-change improvement in the resolution of this technique.
Organisations
- Queen's University Belfast (Lead Research Organisation)
- National Center for Scientific Research (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique CNRS) (Collaboration)
- Defence Science & Technology Laboratory (DSTL) (Collaboration)
- ELI Attosecond Light Pulse Source (Collaboration)
- ELI Beamlines (Collaboration)
- Deutsches Electronen-Synchrotron (DESY) (Collaboration)
- Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (Collaboration)
- Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) (Collaboration)
- Extreme Light Infrastructure - Nuclear Physics (ELI-NP) (Collaboration)
- QUEEN'S UNIVERSITY BELFAST (Collaboration)
- IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON (Collaboration)
- ELI HU Nonprofit Kft az (Project Partner)
Publications
Abramowicz H
(2021)
Conceptual Design Report for the LUXE Experiment
Audet T
(2021)
Ultrashort, MeV-scale laser-plasma positron source for positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy
in Physical Review Accelerators and Beams
Calvin L
(2023)
Laser-driven muon production for material inspection and imaging
in Frontiers in Physics
Cavanagh N
(2023)
Experimental characterization of a single-shot spectrometer for high-flux, GeV-scale gamma-ray beams
in Physical Review Research
Sarri G
(2022)
Plasma-based positron sources at EuPRAXIA
in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion
Streeter M
(2024)
Narrow bandwidth, low-emittance positron beams from a laser-wakefield accelerator
in Scientific Reports
Streeter M
(2023)
Laser Wakefield Accelerator modelling with Variational Neural Networks
in High Power Laser Science and Engineering
| Description | We have developed a novel source of positrons for material characterisation, which will be implemented in a national facility (EPAC at RAL) and in an international facility (EuPRAXIA). The work has resulted in contracts with EPAC and ELI-BL to develop such sources and offer them to academic and private sector users. |
| Exploitation Route | this novel source of positrons for material characterisation will be implemented in a national facility (EPAC at RAL) and in an international facility (EuPRAXIA), both designed for user access from academia and the private sector. |
| Sectors | Aerospace Defence and Marine Electronics Healthcare Manufacturing including Industrial Biotechology |
| Description | the work has resulted in a specific target area designed for the EuPRAXIA facility (included in the ESFRI roadmap) and in two contracts, one with the Extreme Photonics Application Centre (EPAC) in the UK and one with the Extreme Light Infrastructure (Czech Republic) to offer such a capability to academic and private sector users |
| First Year Of Impact | 2023 |
| Sector | Aerospace, Defence and Marine,Energy,Manufacturing, including Industrial Biotechology |
| Impact Types | Societal Economic |
| Description | Inclusion of large-scale project in the ESFRI roadmap |
| Geographic Reach | Europe |
| Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
| Impact | Inclusion of large-scale project in the ESFRI roadmap |
| URL | https://www.esfri.eu/latest-esfri-news/new-ris-roadmap-2021 |
| Description | member of the scientific advisory committee for EuAPS |
| Geographic Reach | Europe |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| Description | member of the scientific advisory committee for the Extreme Light Infrastructure - BeamLines |
| Geographic Reach | Europe |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| Description | member of the scientific committee for the EAAC conference 2023 |
| Geographic Reach | Europe |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| Description | preparation of the update of the European strategy for particle physics |
| Geographic Reach | Europe |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| Impact | plan to detail the funding routes for Europe in particle physics and identify facilities and access routes for both academic and private sector users |
| Description | Design and implementation of a Compton-scattering source at ELI-BL |
| Amount | £60,301 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Extreme Light Infrastructure Beamlines |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | Czech Republic |
| Start | 03/2024 |
| End | 04/2025 |
| Description | Design and testing of the positron and Compton beamlines for EPAC |
| Amount | £63,748 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Rutherford Appleton Laboratory |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2024 |
| End | 03/2025 |
| Description | EUPRAX IA - SEP- 2108248 15 |
| Amount | £103,416 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Innovate UK |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 11/2022 |
| End | 10/2025 |
| Description | The new intensity frontier: exploring quantum electrodynamic plasmas |
| Amount | £375,452 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | EP/V049186/1 |
| Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 12/2021 |
| End | 05/2025 |
| Title | Experimental characterization of a single-shot spectrometer for high-flux, GeV-scale gamma-ray beams -- associated data |
| Description | Supplementary experimental data for the results presented in the paper "Experimental characterization of a single-shot spectrometer for high-flux, GeV-scale gamma-ray beams", collected, processed and analysed by the research group within the School of Mathematics and Physics at Queen's University Belfast. Article located at DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevResearch.00.003000 Electron and positron data over 8 nominal shots are provided as: background corrected spatial lineouts (in mm) derived energy spectra (in GeV) Also included are binned energy spectra for electrons and positrons, as well as the deconvolved photon spectra. Data is presented in the format of compressed Python numpy (.npz) files. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| URL | https://zenodo.org/record/8381393 |
| Title | X-ray absorption spectroscopy using an ultrafast laboratory-scale laser-plasma accelerator source |
| Description | The data contained in this repository was used in the production of the publication "X-ray absorption spectroscopy using an ultrafast laboratory-scale laser-plasma accelerator source" |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| URL | https://zenodo.org/record/7876185 |
| Description | CEA: LYDIL group |
| Organisation | Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) |
| Country | France |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Collaborative experiments: the group provided access to and operation of their high-intensity laser laboratory. We provided man-power and consumables |
| Collaborator Contribution | Collaborative experiments: the group provided access to and operation of their high-intensity laser laboratory. We provided man-power and consumables |
| Impact | collaborative experiment under the ARIES network. Results under analysis and preparation for publication |
| Start Year | 2017 |
| Description | DESY: novel plasma accelerators |
| Organisation | Deutsches Electronen-Synchrotron (DESY) |
| Country | Germany |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Currently collaborating on joint experiments (some published) and within the EuPRAXIA consortium for the next-generation of compact particle accelerators |
| Collaborator Contribution | Collaborative experiments |
| Impact | publications and on-going preparation of european large-scale funding proposals |
| Start Year | 2017 |
| Description | ELI-ALPS: collaborative experiments |
| Organisation | ELI Attosecond Light Pulse Source |
| Country | Hungary |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | collaborative research published and preparation of experiments at ELI-ALPS |
| Collaborator Contribution | collaborative research published and preparation of experiments at ELI-ALPS |
| Impact | https://journals.aps.org/prab/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevAccelBeams.24.073402 |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Description | ELI-Beamlines: collaborative experiments |
| Organisation | ELI Beamlines |
| Country | Czech Republic |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | ELI-Beamlines is project partners in a recently awarded EPSRC grant (EP/V049186/1 with related proposal: EP/V049461/1). Collaborative experiments currently being designed |
| Collaborator Contribution | ELI-Beamlines is project partners in a recently awarded EPSRC grant (EP/V049186/1 with related proposal: EP/V049461/1). Collaborative experiments currently being designed |
| Impact | ELI-Beamlines is project partners in a recently awarded EPSRC grant (EP/V049186/1 with related proposal: EP/V049461/1). Collaborative experiments currently being designed |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Description | ELI-NP: collaborative experiments |
| Organisation | Extreme Light Infrastructure - Nuclear Physics (ELI-NP) |
| Country | Romania |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Commissioning experiments of the facility carried out and further experiments being planned |
| Collaborator Contribution | Commissioning experiments of the facility carried out and further experiments being planned |
| Impact | Commissioning experiments of the facility carried out and further experiments being planned |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Description | EuPRAXIA collaboration |
| Organisation | Deutsches Electronen-Synchrotron (DESY) |
| Country | Germany |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | International collaboration for the EuPRAXIA project formalised by Consortium Agreement. It has already resulted in the publication of the Conceptual Design Report for the machine (https://link.springer.com/article/10.1140/epjst/e2020-000127-8) and inclusion in the ESFRI roadmap |
| Collaborator Contribution | publication of the Conceptual Design Report for the machine (https://link.springer.com/article/10.1140/epjst/e2020-000127-8) and inclusion in the ESFRI roadmap |
| Impact | publication of the Conceptual Design Report for the machine (https://link.springer.com/article/10.1140/epjst/e2020-000127-8) and inclusion in the ESFRI roadmap |
| Start Year | 2016 |
| Description | Facility access: Apollon laser facility |
| Organisation | National Center for Scientific Research (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique CNRS) |
| Department | Laboratory for the user of intense lasers (LULI) |
| Country | France |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Facility access for a 4-week experiment and funding secured from ARIES |
| Collaborator Contribution | Facility access for a 4-week experiment and funding secured from ARIES |
| Impact | Facility access for a 4-week experiment and funding secured from ARIES |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Description | collaboration with Imperial College London |
| Organisation | Imperial College London |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | scientific collaboration funded with EP/V049186/1 |
| Collaborator Contribution | scientific collaboration funded with EP/V049186/1 |
| Impact | several scientific publications and collaborative experiments at national and international facilities |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Description | collabroation with the Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research |
| Organisation | Queen's University Belfast |
| Department | Centre for Cancer Research and Cell Biology |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | collaborative experiments in ultra-high dose-rate irradiation of cells for cancer therapy. First paper published (https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6560/ac5bfd) and data analysis underway towards preparation of a further scientific paper. Current preparation of a large-scale proposal to a funding agency |
| Collaborator Contribution | collaborative experiments in ultra-high dose-rate irradiation of cells for cancer therapy. First paper published (https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6560/ac5bfd) and data analysis underway towards preparation of a further scientific paper. Current preparation of a large-scale proposal to a funding agency |
| Impact | collaborative experiments in ultra-high dose-rate irradiation of cells for cancer therapy. First paper published (https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6560/ac5bfd) and data analysis underway towards preparation of a further scientific paper. Current preparation of a large-scale proposal to a funding agency |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Description | contracted collaboration with DSTL |
| Organisation | Defence Science & Technology Laboratory (DSTL) |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | design of experimental setups and detection systems for a novel laser-driven muon source. First proof-of-principle experiment carried out at the Extreme Light Infrastructrure (data analysis in progress). |
| Collaborator Contribution | Scientific collaboration |
| Impact | L. Calvin et al., Laser-driven muon production for material inspection and imaging Front. Phys. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphy.2023.1177486 |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Description | contracted collaboration with the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory |
| Organisation | Rutherford Appleton Laboratory |
| Department | Central Laser Facility |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | design and implementation of a positron beamline and a Compton-scattered photon beamline for the Extreme Photonics Applications Centre (EPAC) |
| Collaborator Contribution | Direct contribution to fund a PDRA and collaborative scientific work |
| Impact | contract for 1 year for an overall value of £ 63,748 |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | Article in the Wall Street Journal |
| 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 | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Article in the Wall Street Journal |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Interview for New Scientist |
| 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 | Interview for New Scientist (published here: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2308243-deepmind-uses-ai-to-control-plasma-inside-tokamak-fusion-reactor/) |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Live interview with Al Jazeera News |
| 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 | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Live interview with Al Jazeera News |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Live interview with BBC Radio Foyle |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Live interview with BBC Radio Foyle |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Live interview with BBC Radio Ulster |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Live interview with BBC Radio Ulster |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | live interview with BBC News Hour |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Live interview with BBC Radio Foyle |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | popular science article in the New Scientist |
| 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 | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | popular science article in the New Scientist |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |