Super Penetrating light for transmission and sensing- Multipole lasers
Abstract
Ultrafast stimuli allow to control the subtle interplay between thermodynamic, topological and collective degrees of freedom governing the physics of materials. By tailoring such excitations, it is possible to selectively drive a system out of equilibrium- a specific atomic motion, an electronic excitation or even a nuclear excitation to gain control over an emergent property, a phase transition or an energy transfer. So far, such experiments have been mostly based on ultrafast flashes of light, however, this method has limitations- 1) it cannot be easily focused to spots that are smaller than light s own wavelength, 2) the moderate cross-section for light-matter interaction can require high intensity, 3) visible light photons do not carry a significant momentum and finally, 4) light as a control parameter requires bulky optical sources and waveguides with limited integration possibilities. In this project, we propose to develop methods aimed at providing ultrafast excitations of matter via tailored electron pulses. In particular, we propose two experiments- the first will use a focused electron beam to locally and impulsively manipulate the carrier density in a high-temperature superconductor. The aim of this experiment is to enable a direct way to control superconductivity at the ultrafast and few nm scale. In another experiment, we intend to use a high-brightness engineered electron beams to maximize the cross-section for the feeding of isomers. The goal of this experiment is to enable new ways to control energy storage and release from excited nuclei. The ability to store, release, transport and use energy in a compact and efficient ways is key to all defense applications that require light and agile instrumentation. This project aims to achieve such a goal using a new paradigm which is the use of ultrafast engineered electron beams to manipulate the properties of matter, all the way down to nuclei.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Feb 05, 2025
- Source ID
- FA86552417017
Entities
People
- Francesco Papoff
Organizations
- Air Force Office of Scientific Research
- United States Air Force
- University of Strathclyde