Transient High Energy Density Plasmas Driven By Few Cycle Laser Pulses.

该项目的广泛目标是为博士生提供高质量的培训，重点是应用最先进的少周期和OPCPA激光系统，如Astra-Artemis和卢瑟福阿普尔顿实验室（RAL）的10 PW前端，以研究瞬态，高能量密度等离子体。该计划的科学重点是响应新激光系统提供强的10飞秒以下光脉冲的能力，以及不久的将来更高脉冲能量和可变波长的令人兴奋的前景。最近的实验工作表明，这些超快光脉冲可用于产生温度在100-200 eV范围内的固体密度等离子体，具有独特的光谱特征，例如通过连续谱降低对发射线的强烈抑制。沿着的新观测，以及最近在RAL获得的10 fs光束线（通过与帝国理工学院的合作提供），为在这一新兴领域建立英国专业知识和支持理论和计算能力提供了及时的机会。作为该项目的一部分，学生将在RAL和帝国理工学院进行高能量密度等离子体物理实验。到目前为止，只有开放的K-壳层离子已在低Z材料中产生的几个周期的脉冲在原理验证实验。随着更高的能量通过RAL计划的新设施变得可用，该项目将扩展到允许首次产生和研究高度瞬态的开放L和M壳层离子。这项工作的一个具体目标是确定激光预脉冲的光谱标记，这些标记可用于对RAL和其他地方未来高能量、少周期激光系统的性能进行基准测试。为了解释这些等离子体的光谱数据，学生还将开发新的数值和计算工具，这些工具将通过RAL提供给更广泛的英国社区。为了解决这项工作的实验和理论方面的问题，该项目将把量子光学小组的超快光源专业知识与帝国理工学院等离子体物理小组广泛的原子物理和数值建模能力结合起来。该项目提供的培训机会将有助于加强英国高强度激光设施的用户基础，从而有助于确保保持该领域目前的世界领先地位。它还将产生新的数值工具，用于模拟非常高密度的原子和光谱等离子体，从而加强对设施用户的支持。最后，它将为学生提供一个机会，以培训沿着领先的研究人员，并为他们提供必要的技能，以制定自己的独立的科学方案在未来。

The broad aim of this project is to provide high quality training of a PhD student, centred around the application of state of the art, few-cycle and OPCPA laser systems such as Astra-Artemis and the 10PW front-end at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (RAL) to the study of transient, high energy density plasmas. The scientific thrust of the programme is in response to the ability of new laser systems to deliver intense, sub-10-fs light pulses, and the exciting prospect of higher pulse energies, and variable wavelengths in the near future. Recent experimental work has shown that these ultra-fast light pulses can be used to create solid density plasmas with temperatures in the 100-200 eV range with unique spectral features such as strong suppression of emission lines via continuum lowering. This new observation, along with the very resent availability of a 10 fs beam line at RAL (provided via a collaboration with Imperial College) provides a timely opportunity to build UK expertise and supporting theoretical and computational capabilities in this emerging field.As part of this project the student will conduct high energy density plasma physics experiments at RAL and Imperial College. To date only open K-shell ions have been produced in low Z materials by few-cycle pulses in proof-of-principle experiments. As higher energies become available via access to planned new facilities at RAL the project will be extended to allow highly-transient open L- and M-shell ions to be produced and studied for the first time. A specific aim of this work will be to identify spectral markers of laser pre-pulse that can be used to benchmark the performance of future high-energy, few-cycle laser systems at RAL and elsewhere. In order to interpret spectroscopic data from these plasmas, the student will also development new numerical and computational tools which will be made available to the wider UK community via RAL. To address the experimental and theoretical aspects of the work the project will bring together the ultra-fast light source expertise of the Quantum Optics Group together with the extensive atomic physics and numerical modelling capabilities of Plasma Physics Group at Imperial College. The training opportunity afforded by this project will help strengthen the user base for high intensity laser facilities in the UK and thus help to ensure that the current world leading position in this field is maintained. It will also result in enhanced support for facility users by producing new numerical tools for modelling the atomic and spectroscopic plasmas at very high density. Finally, it will provide a student with the opportunity to train along side leading researchers and to provide them with the skills necessary to develop their own independent scientific programmes in the future.