Multi-PetaWatt Laser-Plasma Interactions: A New Frontier in Physics

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The interaction of intense laser pulses with matter is opening up new frontiers in physics via the production of extreme pressures, temperatures and intense electric and magnetic fields. This is leading to the use of high power laser radiation for exploring the properties of hot dense matter, the production of high energy particles and radiation, and the development of schemes to generate energy by inertial confinement fusion. These advances are driven by rapid developments in ultrashort pulse laser technology which have enabled new regimes in laser power and intensity to be reached. With the advent of multi-petawatt power lasers (e.g. the upgrade project to the Vulcan laser at the UK's Central Laser Facility will deliver 10 petawatt pulses by 2013-2014) exotic new plasmas with unique properties are accessible, including strongly relativistic dense plasma. The principal aims of this proposed project are to investigate the fundamentals of laser-solid interactions in strongly relativistic plasmas - a regime of laser-plasma interactions not previously accessible - and to harness predicted promising new ion acceleration schemes achievable with ultrahigh intensity laser pulses. This will advance our understanding of ultrahigh intensity laser solid interactions and may lead to new applications of laser-plasma-based particle and radiation sources. The proposal involves the development and application of new techniques on experiments using some of the highest power laser systems available.