Novel high-brightness ultra-short particle sources and applications

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The research proposal aims to produce novel high-brightness ultra-short particle sources and innovative applications that can be obtained by these beams. It will make best use of the ALLS 200 TW laser-beamline located at INRS, with high laser contrast and 10 Hz repetition rate, reaching on target intensities of almost 10e20 W/cm². In particular, I will study laser-generated proton, electron and neutron sources. These have currently very interesting characteristics in comparison to conventional accelerator sources and allow for manifold applications in the field of medicine, fusion energy, environment, astrophysics. The proposal will profit from ongoing collaborations with other international laboratories located abroad. Several students shall be trained on those topics in order to obtain a broad overview about project related work and different innovative science with many links to industry (local and abroad). It will focus on the following topics: 1) Study and improvement of laser-driven proton sources: I will explore innovative ways to improve the laser-driven source, making it more efficient. 2) Material science with laser-generated protons: The high energy flux that is produced in laser-driven experiments is particularly suited to modify material properties or study material in extreme conditions. 3) Radiation chemistry using laser-generated particles: The short pulse duration of laser-generated ions make them a good candidate to irradiate watery samples in a low ion irradiation flux regime and to monitor the transient ion-induced ionization with very high temporal resolution. 4) Study and improvement of laser driven neutron sources: Compared to conventional neutron facilities, laser-generated neutron beam allow for a much better temporal resolution for probing experiments. The proposed activity foresees the study of improved laser-generated neutron sources, e.g. using a narrower proton spectrum. 5) Study and design of capture and post-acceleration of laser-generated particles with conventional accelerator elements to improve their characteristics and make an innovative, versatile, cost-efficient novel source.