Research

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Laser wakefield acceleration

Laser wakefield accelerators are miniature plasma-based electron acceleration machines, where a highly intense laser pulse is used to rapidly accelerate electrons to high energies.
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X-ray imaging & applications

Electrons oscillating in a laser wakefield emit x-rays, which can be used to image objects at high resolution.
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Ion acceleration from ultra-thin foils

Lasers can be used to accelerate ions from thin foils by the generation of huge electric fields.

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Shock acceleration of ions from gas jets

A laser can be used to drive a blast wave into a gas jet, shaping the gas to form favourable conditions for ion acceleration.
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Plasma sources

Preformed plasmas form centimeters to tens of meters are the accelerating medium for present and future, short and long plasma accelerators. At JAI we develop a number of plasma sources to produce these plasmas.

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Plasma theory

Modelling the interaction of intense lasers with plasmas of various characteristics for particle acceleration and radiation generation.