Studies of laser-produced energetic electrons for alternative inertial confinement fusion schemes

Before joining the Fusion CDT programme at the University of York I completed an integrated master's degree in Physics and Astrophysics at the University of Manchester. In my third year I worked as an intern in the MACE department where I sub-led a project investigating the environmental cost of satellite data. This was my first experience

working in a research role and is what sparked my passion for pursuing a PhD. During my final year I undertook two 12-week master's projects, the second being fusion based. The project was supervised by material experts at the UKAEA and investigated the uncertainty quantification and reliability of first wall plasma facing fusion materials

via rare event simulation. Knowing I wanted to go into research, and being particularly interested in fusion due to the promising environmental implications and ties to astrophysics, I keenly applied to the Fusion CDT. Advances in ultra-intense laser technology have brought us closer than ever to achieving the extreme conditions necessary for a successful fusion reaction on Earth.

These lasers are used in a form of inertial confinement fusion (ICF) called fast ignition where the energy required to heat the fuel is given by a separate high-power laser. The strong electric fields associated with ultra-intense lasers cause the atoms in the material to become readily ionised, forming a plasma with a significant number of

energetic electrons. The electrons are driven into the compressed fuel core and transport energy deeper into the material to initiate the fusion reaction. Two major challenges with this type of fusion are that the ultra-intense lasers only penetrate a short distance into a material, limiting the amount of energy that can be readily

absorbed, and that the electrons tend to spread out in the material, reducing the energy delivered to the ignition point. This project will investigate methods to control electron divergence and to increase laser absorption to achieve a more efficient fusion process. This project has direct applications for improving the efficiency of fast ignition fusion

but also has broader industrial uses. The techniques developed to create bright x-ray sources can be used for non-destructive testing of materials. Moreover, the target technology driving this research is also supporting advancements in laser-driven ion acceleration for proton oncology, the manufacturing of medical devices, and the

development of devices used in the beamlines at the Diamond Light Source facility. Funding for this project is partly provided by the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) through the Central Laser Facility (CLF). The STFC is a UK government agency that supports and funds research in science and engineering across the country.

The CLF, part of the STFC, is a world leading research facility focused on exploring and advancing the applications of high energy lasers.