X-GoLP undergraduate research placements 2019
X-GoLP is the experimental branch of Grupo de Lasers e Plasmas <Instituto de Plasmas e Fusão Nuclear < Instituto Superior Técnico.
X-GoLP develops R&D primarily in High Intensity Laser-Plasma Interaction and its applications.
We are opening a call for partial time (~4H/W) junior research placements (Estágios de Introdução à Investigação) for February – September 2019 (extendable).
A part of the placement (typ. 3 months) will be covered by a research scholarship.
We are seeking primarily 3rd and 4th year IST students of Physics, Biological, Electrical and Mechanical Engineering, but other applications also welcome.
The placement will consist of a small scale sub-project to be developed in approximately 6 months. The sub-projects will be adapted form a list of ongoing research lines taking into account the candidates interests. The work ranges from theory and simulation to laboratory experiments or technological development (see tentative list of mini-projects below).
Interested candidates should submit applications during January and February 2019.
Applications will be evaluated in two dates by end of January and end of February (2019).
To Apply send an email to nelson.lopes@tecnico.ulisboa.pt with a presentation letter and a short CV.
You are encouraged to meet us before applying (send an email to nelson.lopes@tecnico.ulisboa.pt or to the links below).
List of mini-projects:
… coherent radiation at ultra-short wavelengths (resp. marta.fajardo@tecnico.ulisboa.pt). Water window (2-4 nm) is a spectral region for which a natural contrast between water and carbon allows imaging of cells with unprecedented resolution. At the VOXEL lab we have produced coherent radiation down to 17 nm. With optimised laser-gas interaction, we can achieve lower wavelength harmonics reaching the water window.
… development of Raman spectrometer applied for cancer diagnosis (resp.joao.m.dias@tecnico.ulisboa.pt). Inside the RamSERS project that consists in innovative solution combining the development of a portable Raman spectroscopy instrument with the usage of SERS substrates with high sensitivity for breast cancer biomarkers. Our group, in the consortium, is responsible for the design and test of the optical circuit of the instrument as well of the integration of the acquisition and control electronics (developed by another group at IST). It will include mainly the lab test and characterization of the projected optical circuits but also can include optical design optimization in ray-tracing simulation software, mechanical prototyping or Raman spectroscopy samples testing.
… x-ray imaging with betatron radiation (resp. nelson.lopes@tecnico.ulisboa.pt). Consists in the development imaging processing techniques for imaging with betatron radiation produced in laser-wakefield accelerators. It will include basic and advanced image noise removal, image correction to produce 2D raster scans, 3D tomographic reconstruction and improvements of current imaging beamlines.
…high Energy Density Plasmas (resp. marta.fajardo@tecnico.ulisboa.pt). With ultra-short lasers, we are able to produce plasmas that have densities at or above solid density. Such plasmas are only found in giant planets or supernova, or in inertial confinement fusion. Using an x-ray source synchronised with the plasma creation, we can probe the atomic effects as they evolve in the lifetime of the plasma, to better understand the plasma properties of this largely unknown state of matter.
… ultra-compact laser-wakefied electron accelerator (resp. nelson.lopes@tecnico.ulisboa.pt). Consists in the development of a compact and modular experimental module to study ultra-compact accelerators with mJ lasers. It will include laser beam focusing at target, plasma and particle beam diagnostics.
… laser-plasma accelerator optimised imaging x-ray source (resp. nelson.lopes@tecnico.ulisboa.pt). Consists in the development of new gas target that enables the control of laser-pulse and accelerating plasma structure dynamics in laser-wakefield-accelerator aiming to increase betatron x-ray yield needed for future biomedical imaging applications. It will include at least the design, construction and testing of relevant target modules and eventually its testing in a high power laser.
… miniature supersonic jets for laser-plasma interaction (resp. nelson.lopes@tecnico.ulisboa.pt). Consists in the development of innovative high-quality miniaturised (< 1 mm) gas targets for laser-plasma interactions (e.g. particle accelerators, XUV radiation sources) with ultrashort intense laser pulses. It will include the design of the nozzle profile, design of the functional nozzle, interaction with the machining workshop, assembly and test in laboratory including measurements of the supersonic gas density profiles with and without the generation of shocks in the flow.
… miniature accelerators (resp. marta.fajardo@tecnico.ulisboa.pt).. The interaction of ultra-short, low-energy lasers with dense plasmas allows the generation of accelerated particles to MeV range in a few 100’s µm. At the VOXEL lab we are setting up an electron acceleration station, in collaboration with the team of J. Faure at LOA, Ecole Polytechnique.
… vision and optics of the human eye (resp.joao.m.dias@tecnico.ulisboa.pt). Following the work develop in the recent years by us with the collaboration of the Dra. Filomena team at Hospital da Luz their exists several clinical and simulation scientific works that has been proceed, like validation of optical correction formulas for Intracular Optical Lens IOL in the refractive surgery or personalized models for IOL calculation in cataract surgery.
… nonlinear pulse compression (resp. marta.fajardo@tecnico.ulisboa.pt). The lasers at the VOXEL station are already ultra-short (~40e-15 s), but we would like to make them shorter. The shortest possible pulse has only one wave cycle oscillation in the duration of the pulse. To achieve this, we will use non-linear effects from the propagation of an ultra-hot pulse on a gas, to produce few-cycle radiation.
… a plasma source for the AWAKE experiment (resp. nelson.lopes@tecnico.ulisboa.pt). Consists in the development of a new method to produce a long plasma column to extend the acceleration length of the AWAKE experiment in CERN from 10 m to 50 m and beyond paving the way to new plasma based acceleration for HEP. It will include development of new pulsed power circuitry, a new plasma source prototype and high-precision plasma diagnostics.
… ultrashort laser for nonlinear spectroscopy and high-energy optical parametric amplifiers seeding (resp. goncalo.figueira@tecnico.ulisboa.pt). This work consists in the development of a state-of-art, ultrashort high-power laser oscillator for optical parametric pulse generation/oscillation. This laser will have applications such as the implementation of compact, tunable laser stage for high-resolution spectroscopy, nonlinear optics studies and high-energy optical parametric amplifiers seeding. The student will participate in the implementation of the laser oscillator and will become familiarized with the most fundamental techniques for generating ultrashort mode-locked laser pulses. The work includes the understanding of the relevant conditions for laser oscillation, the simulation/modeling of beam propagation and laser generation in resonant cavity, the practical alignment of a diode-pumped laser oscillator (with the goal of achieving Kerr-lens mode-locked laser pulses assisted by a semiconductor saturable absorber mirror, SESAM), and the characterization of the output laser oscillation with the advanced diagnostics.
… improved laser cutting for medical and industrial applications (resp. goncalo.figueira@tecnico.ulisboa.pt). The work is a continuation of developments in recent years at GoLP and in collaboration with CLPU in Salamanca on laser ablation optimization, via controlled shaping in metal and biological samples (dentin). The work will include predicting (theory and simulation) the distortion caused by a deformable mirror in a compressor, construction and alignment of the device, measurement of the introduced temporal shaping, and its use for ablation.
… pulse compression using a hollow core fiber (resp. goncalo.figueira@tecnico.ulisboa.pt). A short laser pulse propagation in a gas-filled hollow core fiber will experience nonlinear spectral broadening. This effect has been used in conjunction with a pulse compressor to allow the generation of even shorter pulses. Nowadays a number of different technologies for hollow core fibers are available, allowing an increase in the effciency and broadening mechanism. In this work, you will evaluate numerically different techniques for spectral broadening of a mJ-level, 300 fs laser pulse. You will then participate in the design and testing of the chosen technique and its implementation in the compression of pulses to the sub 50 fs level.
