Plasma Accelerators for Nuclear Applications and Materials Analysis (PANAMA)

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In laser-driven plasma accelerators, targets are bombarded with high intensity, femtosecond laser pulses to generate novel high brightness sources of high energy particle beams and radiation pulses. The particle beams or radiation pulses generated depend on the nature of the target, but include: electron, proton, neutron and light ion beams; and electromagnetic radiation pulses from IR to gamma. The PANAMA project will utilise these particle beams and radiation pulses for advanced materials testing and characterisation, using one of the most powerful lasers in the world at the Scottish Centre for the Application of Plasma Accelerators (SCAPA). The PANAMA facility will provide a unique capability; the very high energy of the X-/gamma-rays produced can penetrate very dense (or very large) materials and perhaps more importantly, provide the ability to combine imaging or spectroscopy with irradiation simultaneously on the same sample to enable in-situ real-time observations of material damage. This will enable fundamental science of nuclear materials, addressing research needs in materials characterisation across the nuclear sector, from new build and fuel development and manufacture, to decommissioning, waste management and geological disposal.