DSM: Thesis SL-DSM-16-0434 - instn

DSM: Thesis SL-DSM-16-0434
RESEARCH FIELD
Plasma physics and laser-matter interactions / Corpuscular physics and outer space
TITLE
High intensity plasmonics and particles acceleration
ABSTRACT
During the ten last years, the increasing availability of ultra-short intense laser beams has induced tremendous attractions regarding the
creation of secondary sources of energetic particles. The key to the development of bright laser-driven sources of radiation (electrons,
ions, X- and gamma-rays) lies in the optimization of the beam characteristics (charge, brightness, energy). Among the various strategies
to enhance the fast electron beam production we have chosen since several years by analogy with plasmonics in solid to use structured
targets in order to excite a surface plasma wave in the high contrast ultra-short (< 30fs) relativistic regime (> 10^18 W/cm2).
In this frame work, we have developed at the ‘Laboratoire des Solides Irradiés’ in collaboration with the ‘Centre de Physique Théorique’
at the ’Ecole Polytechnique’ Particle-in-Cell simulations of laser over-dense plasma interaction to study the surface plasma wave
excitation. Attention has focused on heating and the electron dynamics in the ultra-short (< 30fs) relativistic regime (> 10^19 W/cm2). The
obtained results show the interest of surface plasma wave excitation for energetic particle production with attractive characteristics for the
applications. As the ultra-short laser pulses with high contrast and very high intensity (10^21W/cm2) become now available in the 'plateau
de saclay', new physical regimes are to be investigated in high intensity laser-overdense plasma interaction in the framework of
plasmonics in the strong relativistic regime with the aim of producing more energetic particles.
In the proposed thesis work, which involves numerical and theoretical studies, the candidate has to look for optimizing the laser plasma
coupling via the excitation of surface-wave or localized electromagnetic modes in high relativistic regime (10^21W/cm2) which has never
been investigated before. Numerical works with Particle-In-Cell simulation will be developed using the EMI2D code which is a twodimension relativistic Particle-in-Cell electromagnetic code which takes into account for collisions. It is clear that an efficient optimization of
the electron source created in the relativistic regime by plasmonic devices cannot be obtained without a complete understanding of the
physical processes that are involved and which give rise to the high-energy electron emission. Thus the electron dynamic will be also
studied complementary to the laser-plasma coupling for various parameters and types of structured targets that have not been explored
yet. A theoretical description for the electron dynamic in some limit case will have also to be developed and new computational diagnostics
will be required for the analysis of the results. These prospective studies should help to propose future experiments and novel ideas for
applications requiring high-energy particle emission.
LOCATION
Institut rayonnement et matière de Saclay
Laboratoire des Solides Irradiés
Laboratoire des Solides Irradiés
Place: Saclay
Start date of the thesis: 01/09/2016
Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives
Institut national des sciences et techniques nucléaires
www­instn.cea.fr
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CONTACT PERSON
Michèle RAYNAUD
CEA
DSM/IRAMIS/LSI/TSM
LSI/TSM
École Polytechnique,
91128 Palaiseau cedex
Phone number: 16334520
Email: [email protected]
UNIVERSITY / GRADUATE SCHOOL
Paris-Saclay
Ondes et Matière
FIND OUT MORE
http://iramis.cea.fr/Phocea/Membres/Annuaire/index.php?uid=rayn
http://www.lsi.polytechnique.fr
THESIS SUPERVISOR
Michèle RAYNAUD
CEA
DSM/IRAMIS/LSI/TSM
LSI/TSM
École Polytechnique,
91128 Palaiseau cedex
Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives
Institut national des sciences et techniques nucléaires
www­instn.cea.fr
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