Optimisation and control of a laser-driven ion accelerator using machine learning

在超强激光脉冲与物质相互作用过程中达到的极端条件，如果控制得当，可以导致电子和离子的快速加速，形成具有独特性质的高能束。强激光驱动粒子加速机制的研究，以及产生的高能粒子束的表征和优化，是强激光-物质相互作用科学中最活跃的领域之一。这些潜在的紧凑型超短高能粒子脉冲来源可能为加速器科学带来新的能力，在癌症治疗、工业和惯性聚变能源方案等领域有着广泛的应用。高重复频率、高强度短脉冲激光(例如，斯特拉斯克莱德大学Scapa的赫兹级别重复频率350 TW激光)的最新进展使实现统计分析和基于机器学习的反馈和实验控制成为可能。这项博士项目旨在通过开发和应用新的机器学习技术来促进激光驱动离子源的优化和稳定。具体目标是：-研究各种机器学习技术及其在强激光-等离子体相互作用中的潜在应用，特别是激光驱动的离子加速。-开发和测试包含机器学习算法的新代码，以在强激光-等离子体相互作用物理模拟中优化选定的输出粒子或辐射束参数。-在卢瑟福·阿普尔顿实验室和Scapa使用高功率激光实施并演示新方法。

The extreme conditions reached during the interaction of an ultra-intense laser pulse with matter can lead, if suitably controlled, to the rapid acceleration of electrons and ions, to form high energy beams with unique properties. The study of intense laser-driven particle acceleration mechanisms, and the characterisation and optimisation of the high energy particle beams produced, is one of the most active areas of intense laser-matter interaction science. These potentially compact sources of ultrashort pulses of energetic particles could bring new capabilities to accelerator science, with wide-ranging applications in areas as diverse as cancer therapy, industry, and in inertial fusion energy schemes.Recent advances in high-repetition rate, high-intensity short-pulse lasers (e.g. the Hz-level repetition rate 350 TW laser at SCAPA, University of Strathclyde) make implementation of statistical analysis and machine learning-based feedback and control of experiments possible. This PhD project aims to progress the optimisation and stabilisation of laser-driven ion sources by developing and applying novel machine learning techniques.The specific objectives are to: - Investigate various machine learning techniques and their potential application to intense laser-plasma interactions, and in particular laser-driven ion acceleration. - Develop and test new code incorporating machine learning algorithms to optimise selected output particle or radiation beam parameters in simulations of intense laser-plasma interaction physics.- Implement and demonstrate the new approach using high power lasers at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory and at SCAPA.