PROJECT TITLE: Laser-Plasma Acceleration of Particles for Radiation Hardeness Testing – LEOPARD

Coordinator: National Institute for Laser, Plasma & Radiation Physics (INFLPR)

Period: 20 November 2013 – 19 November 2016

Project director: Ganciu-Petcu Mihai

Project team: 

• Dr. Agavni Surmeian, Senior Research Scientist 1
• Dr. Constantin Diplasu, Senior Research Scientist 2
• Dr. Andreea Groza, Senior Research Scientist 3
• Dr. Bogdan Mihalcea, Senior Research Scientist 3
• Dr. Ovidiu Stoican, Senior Research Scientist 3
• Dr. Cristian Lungu, Senior Research Scientist 1
• Dr. Catalin Ticos, Senior Research Scientist 1
• Dr. Traian Dascalu, Senior Research Scientist 1
• Dr. Dan Sporea, Senior Research Scientist 1
• Dr. Catalin Luculescu, Senior Researcher 1
• Dr. Octav Marghitu, Research Scientist

Description: The LEOPARD project will establish a Centre of Competences in radiation hardness testing, able to exploit existing laser infrastructures at the Centre for Advanced Laser Technologies (CETAL – 1 PW) and the upcoming ELI-NP (2 X 10 PW), in the near future, as well as the complementary research infrastructure and professional expertise of several research groups.

Project objectives: 

• The Centre of Competences will enable proficiency in radiation hardness testing and its applications – based on both laser-plasma acceleration and conventional setups. Moreover, LEOPARD will make possible the development of adapted new calibration and detection systems.
• The project will strongly benefit from available competences, as expressed in particular by the recent patent application submitted by the core team, Method of testing components and complex systems in the pulsed and synchronized fluxes of laser accelerated particles, RO Patent Application No. A/00643 / 28.08.2013.
• LEOPARD will address radiation hardness testing for both hardware components and software. Hardware testing is related to the behaviour of components and systems subject to intense radiation fluxes, and implies fundamental research in interaction of radiation with matter, plasma physics, or nuclear physics, as well as applied research – for example to optimize and calibrate the particle fluxes at the target. Software testing on the other hand refers to the programs that control the hardware at various levels, whose built-in redundancy can compensate the hardware faults.
• The high-power laser equipment in Magurele will thus become relevant for space applications and make a significant contribution towards enhancing the reliability of critical space infrastructure.

Activities:

WP1 – In depth layout of the project strategy, of work and collaboration strategy between the groups which establish the Centre of Competence

WP2 – Training of young researchers with respect to specific project objectives and increasing the work groups skills in using high power lasers for experiments on particle acceleration in plasma, for different types of targets

WP3 – Preliminary tests performed within the frame of the Centre of Competence, aimed towards laser induced acceleration in plasmas which are fitted to study the response of simple and complex systems which undergo interaction with intense radiation flux

WP4 – Study on implementing an innovative multiple irradiation system using pulsed and synchronized laser accelerated particles, based on the existing facilities at Magurele

Contributions to the STAR program objectives:

• Training young researchers and increasing the competences of the work groups in using high power lasers in experiments on particle acceleration in plasma
• Preliminary tests aimed towards laser induced acceleration in plasmas which are fitted to study the behaviour of simple and complex systems which undergo interaction with intense radiation fluxes
• Key objective → performing preliminary studies with an aim to implement an innovative multiple irradiation system using pulsed and synchronized laser accelerated particles, based on the existing facilities at Magurele
• Valorification of new technologies developed and patented within the framework of the Centre of Competence
• Development of numerical simulation methods and new algorithms to illustrate the mechanisms which describe generation and acceleration of particle flux, under interaction with high power lasers
• Training of young researchers in domains considered of utmost importance for ESA and better integration with the ESA agenda

Homepage: LEOPARD