Characterization of foam-filled hohlraums for inertial fusion experiments
(2024)
Attosecond and nano-Coulomb electron bunches via the Zero Vector Potential mechanism
Scientific Reports Springer Nature 14:1 (2024) 10805
Abstract:
The commissioning of multi-petawatt class laser facilities around the world is gathering pace. One of the primary motivations for these investments is the acceleration of high-quality, low-emittance electron bunches. Here we explore the interaction of a high-intensity femtosecond laser pulse with a mass-limited dense target to produce MeV attosecond electron bunches in transmission and confirm with three-dimensional simulation that such bunches have low emittance and nano-Coulomb charge. We then perform a large parameter scan from non-relativistic laser intensities to the laser-QED regime and from the critical plasma density to beyond solid density to demonstrate that the electron bunch energies and the laser pulse energy absorption into the plasma can be quantitatively described via the Zero Vector Potential mechanism. These results have wide-ranging implications for future particle accelerator science and associated technologies.Collisionless conduction in a high-beta plasma: a collision operator for whistler turbulence
(2024)
Measuring Unruh radiation from accelerated electrons
European Physical Journal C Springer 84:5 (2024) 475
Abstract:
Detecting thermal Unruh radiation from accelerated electrons has presented a formidable challenge due not only to technical difficulties but also for lack of conceptual clarity about what is actually seen by a laboratory observer. We give a summary of the current interpretations along with a simpler heuristic description that draws on the analogy between the Unruh effect and radiation from a two-level atomic system. We propose an experiment to test whether there is emission of thermal photons from an accelerated electron.
Multimessenger measurements of the static structure of shock-compressed liquid silicon at 100 GPa
Physical Review Research 6, 023144 (2024)
Abstract:
The ionic structure of high-pressure, high-temperature fluids is a challenging theoretical problem with applications to planetary interiors and fusion capsules. Here we report a multimessenger platform using velocimetry and in situ angularly and spectrally resolved x-ray scattering to measure the thermodynamic conditions and ion structure factor of materials at extreme pressures. We document the pressure, density, and temperature of shocked silicon near 100 GPa with uncertainties of 6%, 2%, and 20%, respectively. The measurements are sufficient to distinguish between and rule out some ion screening models.