Practical trainings, student assistants and theses

HZDR develops and operates two high-intensity lasers (DRACO and PENELOPE) as drivers for plasma-based accelerators — a novel concept for compact sources delivering ultra-short pulses of high-energy ions and electrons. We experimentally investigate plasma-based acceleration from the physical fundamentals to the application. - e.g., for free-electron lasers, as particle sources for radiobiological studies, or for neutron sources.
In order to realize such sources, a constant development and improvement of the laser system is paramount. One major point of interest for every high energy laser system is a well-defined beam shape. Within the scope of this work the already existing beam shaping at the PENELOPE laser on the basis of serrated apertures needs to be analyzed both numerically and experimentally. Alternative concepts to achieve suitable beam shaping capabilities shall be compared.

Focus of the work:

• Modeling of optical diffraction on serrated apertures, e.g., using Python
• Experimental verification of the diffraction pattern
• Data acquisition (near field, far field, propagation)
• Optimization of the shape of serrated apertures
• Introduction to alternative beam shaping concepts
• Data analysis and documentation

• Studies in Physics, Physical Engineering (or a comparable field of study)
• Interest in optics and laser physics-
• Interest in experimental work
• Interest in numerical methods in optics

• Duration: at least 3 months, the topic can easily be expanded into a thesis
• Start: anytime
• Workplace: Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden – Rossendorf

HZDR develops and operates two high-intensity lasers (DRACO and PENELOPE) as drivers for plasma-based accelerators — a novel concept for compact sources delivering ultra-short pulses of high-energy ions and electrons. We experimentally investigate plasma-based acceleration from the physical fundamentals to the application.- e.g. for free-electron lasers, as particle sources for radiobiological studies, or for neutron sources.
In order to realize such sources, constant development and improvement of the laser system is paramount. The scope of this work lies in the analytical design, its optimization and the realization of a regenerative amplifier design. Such an amplifier is considered to replace one of the preamplifier stages (HGBA II) of the PENELOPE laser system. The amplifier design aims at >100 mJ of pulse energy at a repetition rate of 10 Hz, while the bandwidth supports laser pulses with a pulse duration of <150 fs.

Focus of the work:

• Design/modeling and optimization of the laser resonator using software support (e.g. RP Resonator or own script)
• Subsequent realization of the regenerative laser amplifier in the laboratory
• Data acquisition (near field, far field, spectrum)
• Optimisation of the laser pulse bandwidth and output energy
• Data analysis and documentation

• Studies in Physics, Physical Engineering (or a comparable field of study)
• Interest optics and laser physics
• Interest in experimental work

• Duration: at least 3 months, the topic can easily be expanded into a thesis
• Start: anytime
• Workplace: Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden – Rossendorf