Ultrafast Photonic Electron Microscopy: Visualising dynamics at the nanoscale. The dynamics of molecular processes are too fast to observe with any microscope so science has instead relied on recording the static before and after states of these changes, inferring what happens in between. This project aims to combine the advantages of ultrafast photonic laser control and electron microscopy to allow the direct visualisation of dynamics at the nanoscale in physical and biological systems. By prov ....Ultrafast Photonic Electron Microscopy: Visualising dynamics at the nanoscale. The dynamics of molecular processes are too fast to observe with any microscope so science has instead relied on recording the static before and after states of these changes, inferring what happens in between. This project aims to combine the advantages of ultrafast photonic laser control and electron microscopy to allow the direct visualisation of dynamics at the nanoscale in physical and biological systems. By providing a view into how order emerges from the thermal chaos of molecular objects this project aims to help to reveal the physical basis for life.Read moreRead less
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