High Intensity Laser-Matter interactions

As principal laser scientist, the research conducted at the MEC hutch at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory covers a wide variety of topics related to hot plasma physics and their applications: the study of matter at high energy density for laboratory astrophysics (radiative shocks, jets, etc) or planetary physics (fusion curves for iron and iron alloys, etc), the study of warm and dense matter, the optimization of radiation and high-energy particle sources and the proof-of-principe of innovative applications, the study of materials under shock loading, nuclear fusion and planetary science.

This research is supported by the development of various experimental techniques and ultra-resolved (in time and in space) diagnostic methods: x-ray Thomson scattering, x-ray diffraction, proton radiography / deflectometry, among others.

Apart this research in plasma physics, the laboratory is involved in innovative research and development programs on novel laser sources and associated technologies.

Representative publications in this area:

While time-dependent electromagnetic fields using microwave technology have been exploited for decades in acceleration and manipulation of charged particle beams, modern lasers stand poised to be exploited for these purposes with great promise. The advent of compact sub-picosecond terawatt lasers has renewed the interest in phenomena that involve scattering or collective interaction of lasers with relativistic particles for various purposes such as diagnostics and control of beams, ultra-high gradient particle acceleration, laser-driven high brightness particle sources, etc.

Relevant publications in this area:

Light in the extreme ultraviolet (EUV) region of the electromagnetic spectrum covers the 5-50 nm range. Because its wavelength is 100-10 times shorter than visible light it can ‘see’ and ‘write’ smaller patterns in applications such as microscopy and lithography. Furthermore, these wavelengths are well matched to the primary atomic resonances of most elements, making possible many element- and chemically- specific spectroscopies and spectromicroscopies.

Scaling up the average power and pulse energy of ultra-short-pulse lasers is one of the main topics in laser physics. A variety of approaches are investigated, which can and are being combined in a single system to provide ultra-short high-energy pulses at high repetition rates and average powers. This makes these systems suitable for applications like high harmonic generation (HHG) that require high peak powers to work, while the high repetition rates compensate for the low conversion efficiency.