Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE130101033
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$375,000.00
Summary
An ultrafast mid-infrared fiber laser: short pulses at long wavelengths. This project will result in the creation of a unique laser system, operating in the mid-infrared wavelength range and generating short bursts of light, which will have a potentially revolutionary impact in many areas of physics, health, defence and astronomy.
Bright x-ray beams from laser-driven microplasmas. This project aims to develop a new generation of bright, laser-like x-ray sources for laboratory use. X-ray sources underpin key diagnostic techniques in materials science, advancing applications from structural engineering through to ore processing and energy storage. However, the limited brightness of present-day laboratory x-ray sources restricts the utility and range of these diagnostic techniques. This research intends to use intense lasers ....Bright x-ray beams from laser-driven microplasmas. This project aims to develop a new generation of bright, laser-like x-ray sources for laboratory use. X-ray sources underpin key diagnostic techniques in materials science, advancing applications from structural engineering through to ore processing and energy storage. However, the limited brightness of present-day laboratory x-ray sources restricts the utility and range of these diagnostic techniques. This research intends to use intense lasers to create microscopic plasmas and drive high harmonic generation. The high harmonic generation process is already used to create laser-like ultraviolet light. By optimising the characteristics of the plasma medium, the project aims to extend bright high harmonic generation to the x-ray regime.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE140100624
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$372,529.00
Summary
The impact of structural dynamics on three-dimensional bioimaging with X-ray free-electron lasers. X-ray lasers can potentially determine the structures of biological molecules that are inaccessible to existing techniques. Intense ultrafast pulses encode the structure via diffraction faster than damage processes rip the molecule apart. In fact, damage processes begin during diffraction and remain problematic. It is not known if damage will prevent the determination of molecular orientations, a c ....The impact of structural dynamics on three-dimensional bioimaging with X-ray free-electron lasers. X-ray lasers can potentially determine the structures of biological molecules that are inaccessible to existing techniques. Intense ultrafast pulses encode the structure via diffraction faster than damage processes rip the molecule apart. In fact, damage processes begin during diffraction and remain problematic. It is not known if damage will prevent the determination of molecular orientations, a critical step in the experimental design. This project will solve this problem with a statistical theory, probing the feasibility and accuracy of the technique. The newly developed theory will enable us to perform experiments capable of measuring the effects of damage in biological molecules, paving the way for new methods of structure determination.Read moreRead less