XFEL studies for laser fusion: generating accurate information-rich data sets for code benchmarking and validation

我的研究将集中在使用来自XFEL （x射线自由电子激光器）和激光等离子体设备的强x射线闪光作为激光驱动实验的高精度x射线成像仪。目的是利用这些测量，了解早期高功率激光目标相互作用和材料响应如何导致流体动力学不稳定性，如瑞利-泰勒不稳定性。这些不稳定性对惯性约束核聚变方法具有重要的意义和问题。它们在一定程度上导致了不对称内爆和破坏惯性聚变燃料舱的可能性。通过开发能够精确成像这些不稳定性种子的新技术，我们的目标是改进激光驱动的惯性聚变内爆。

My research will focus on using intense X-ray flashes from XFEL (X-ray Free Electron Laser) and laser-plasma facilities as high accuracy X-ray imagers for laser driven experiments. The aim is to use these measurements and learn how early-time high power laser target interactions and material response seed hydrodynamic instabilities such as the Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities. These instabilities are of significant interest and problematic to the inertial confinement approach to fusion. They are partly responsible for driving asymmetric implosions and the potential to break up an inertial fusion fuel capsule. Through developing new techniques that enable accurate imaging of the seeds of these instabilities we aim to improve the laser-driven inertial fusion implosions.