Can we develop powerful X-ray and gamma-ray sources that are small enough to be used routinely in research and industry?
This PhD project will explore a new generation of compact radiation sources based on laser wakefield acceleration (LWFA). Plasma-based accelerators can produce extremely energetic electron beams over distances much shorter than conventional accelerators, opening exciting possibilities for compact, ultrafast X-ray and gamma-ray sources.
The project will investigate how these sources can be developed and optimised for applications where conventional radiation sources are too large, expensive, or difficult to access. A particular focus will be on producing high-quality, tunable radiation for imaging and other advanced applications, while also investigating complementary approaches for generating ultrafast broadband X-rays.
You will use computational modelling and simulation to understand how the radiation source can be controlled and how its performance translates into useful imaging capabilities. You will explore questions such as: What makes a radiation source useful for a particular application? How can we control its properties? How robust is it to realistic experimental conditions? And where could compact plasma-based sources have the greatest impact?
An important part of the project will be looking beyond the accelerator itself. You will investigate potential applications in areas such as advanced imaging, non‑destructive testing, biomedical research and nuclear science, working with researchers and potential users to understand their requirements. This will help identify opportunities where plasma‑based radiation sources could provide genuinely new capabilities.
The project therefore combines fundamental physics, computational research, imaging, and real‑world applications. You will have the opportunity to develop skills in scientific computing, accelerator physics, radiation science and data analysis, while also gaining experience in translating fundamental research into practical applications.
Where appropriate and subject to facility access, the research may also be connected with experiments at major UK and European high‑power laser facilities, including EPAC and ELI. This provides an opportunity to see how your modelling and predictions can contribute to experiments at some of the world’s leading facilities.
What will you do?
During the PhD, you will:
- Develop an understanding of plasma‑based accelerators and compact radiation sources.
- Use computer simulations to investigate and optimise new approaches to generating X-rays and gamma rays.
- Explore how the properties of these sources affect their usefulness for different applications.
- Compare different approaches to producing compact radiation sources and identify their strengths and limitations.
- Investigate how real‑world experimental conditions can affect source performance and how these effects can be mitigated.
- Explore potential applications with researchers and potential users from academia and industry.
- Identify opportunities where compact plasma‑based radiation sources could provide new or improved capabilities.
- Communicate your findings through conferences, journal publications and your PhD thesis.
The project will evolve as your research develops, allowing you to pursue promising scientific questions and application areas that emerge during the PhD.
Why is this project exciting?
Plasma‑based accelerators are a rapidly developing area of research with the potential to transform how high‑energy radiation is produced and accessed. Rather than requiring large accelerator facilities for every application, future systems could bring powerful radiation sources into research laboratories, universities and industrial environments.
This project sits at the interface between accelerator physics, plasma physics, X‑ray science and real‑world applications. You will not simply study how to generate radiation; you will investigate what we can do with it and who could benefit from it.
The research is part of a wider programme developing accessible plasma‑based accelerator technologies and their applications. It will create connections across the Cockcroft Institute, the University of Manchester, EPAC and the wider high‑power laser and accelerator communities.
Research environment and supervision
You will be part of a multidisciplinary research environment working at the forefront of accelerator and radiation science. You will also have opportunities to interact with researchers and users across the Cockcroft Institute, UK accelerator community and high‑power laser facilities.
As a PhD student at the University of Manchester, you will be part of a vibrant research community with a strong international reputation in physics, engineering and accelerator science. You will also be a member of the Cockcroft Institute, a leading UK centre for accelerator science and technology, bringing together researchers from universities, national laboratories and industry. This provides opportunities to attend seminars, training and specialist events, collaborate across institutions, and build connections with the wider accelerator and high‑power laser communities.
Skills and development
You do not need to be an expert in plasma accelerators before starting the PhD. The project is designed to provide the training needed to develop expertise in this emerging field.
You will develop transferable skills in computational modelling, scientific programming, data analysis, scientific communication and research project development, alongside specialist knowledge of accelerators and radiation sources.
The project would suit a graduate who is curious about how fundamental physics can be translated into technologies with real‑world impact and who enjoys working across different areas of science.
Impact
The long‑term goal is to help make advanced radiation sources more compact, accessible and useful to researchers and industry.
Your research will help establish where plasma‑based X‑ray and gamma‑ray sources can offer genuine advantages over existing technologies, inform the design of future experiments, and identify applications where these emerging sources could make a meaningful difference.
This PhD offers the opportunity to contribute not only to the development of a new accelerator technology, but also to understanding how that technology could be used in the real world.
For enquiries, please contact Dr Oznur Apsimon ([email protected]).
#J-18808-Ljbffr