Plasma and Beam Physics Commons^™

Perturbative Representation Of Ultrashort Nonparaxial Elegant Laguerre-Gaussian Fields, Andrew Vikartofsky, Anthony F. Starace, Liang-Wen Pi

Anthony F. Starace Publications

An analytical method for calculating the electromagnetic fields of a nonparaxial elegant Laguerre-Gaussian (LG) vortex beam is presented for arbitrary pulse duration, spot size, and LG mode. This perturbative approach provides a numerically tractable model for the calculation of arbitrarily high radial and azimuthal LG modes in the nonparaxial regime, without requiring integral representations of the fields. A key feature of this perturbative model is its use of a Poisson-like frequency spectrum, which allows for the proper description of pulses of arbitrarily short duration. This model is thus appropriate for simulating laser-matter interactions, including those involving short laser pulses.

Application Of Spectral Solution And Neural Network Techniques In Plasma Modeling For Electric Propulsion, Joseph R. Whitman

Theses and Dissertations

A solver for Poisson's equation was developed using the Radix-2 FFT method first invented by Carl Friedrich Gauss. Its performance was characterized using simulated data and identical boundary conditions to those found in a Hall Effect Thruster. The characterization showed errors below machine-zero with noise-free data, and above 20% noise-to-signal strength, the error increased linearly with the noise. This solver can be implemented into AFRL's plasma simulator, the Thermophysics Universal Research Framework (TURF) and used to quickly and accurately compute the electric field based on charge distributions. The validity of a machine learning approach and data-based complex system modeling approach …

Incorporating Collisions And Resistance Into The Transition From Field Emission To The Space Charge Regime, Samuel D. Dynako, Adam M. Darr, Allen L. Garner

The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium

Advancements in microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and microplasmas, particularly with respect to applications in combustion and biotechnology, motivate studies into microscale gas breakdown to enable safe system design and implementation. Breakdown at microscale deviates from that predicted by Paschen’s law due to field emission—the stripping of electrons from the cathode in the presence of strong surface field—and follows the Fowler-Nordheim (FN) law. As injected current increases at this length scale, electrons accumulate in the gap and FN electron emission becomes space charge limited, leading to the Child-Langmuir (CL) law at vacuum and the Mott-Gurney (MG) law at high pressure. While theoretical …

High-Brilliance, High-Flux Compact Inverse Compton Light Source, K. E. Deitrick, G. A. Krafft, B. Terzić, J. R. Delayen

Physics Faculty Publications

The Old Dominion University Compact Light Source (ODU CLS) design concept is presented-a compact Inverse Compton Light Source (ICLS) with flux and brilliance orders of magnitude beyond conventional laboratory-scale sources and greater than other compact ICLS designs. This concept utilizes the physics of inverse Compton scattering of an extremely low emittance electron beam by a laser pulse of rms length of approximately two-thirds of a picosecond (2/3 ps). The accelerator is composed of a superconducting radio frequency (SRF) reentrant gun followed by four double-spoke SRF cavities. After the linac are three quadrupole magnets to focus the electron beam to the …

Thermally Stable Hybrid Cavity Laser Based On Silicon Nitride Gratings, Simone Iadanza, Andrei P. Bakoz, Praveen K. J. Singaravelu, Danilo Panettieri, Stefan Schulz, Ganga Chinna Rao Devarapu, Sylvain Guerber, Charles Baudot, Frédéric Boeuf, Stephen Hegarty, Liam O'Faolain

Cappa Publications

In this paper, we show the experimental results of a thermally stable Si3N4 external cavity (SiN EC) laser with high power output and the lowest SiN EC laser threshold to our knowledge. The device consists of a 250 μm sized reflective semiconductor optical amplifier butt-coupled to a passive chip based on a series of Si3N4 Bragg gratings acting as narrow reflectors. A threshold of 12 mA has been achieved, with a typical side-mode suppression ratio of 45 dB and measured power output higher than 3 mW. Furthermore, we achieved a mode-hop free-lasing regime in the range of 15–62 mA and …

Compton Scattering From The Deuteron Above Pion-Production Threshold, B. Strandberg, J. R. M. Annand, W. Briscoe, J. Brudvik, F. Cividini, L. Clark, E. J. Downie, K. England, G. Feldman, K. G. Fissum, D. I. Glazier, K. Hamilton, K. Hansen, L. Isaksson, R. Al Jebali, Michael A. Kovash, S. Lipschutz, M. Lundin, M. Meshkian, D. G. Middleton, L. S. Myers, D. O'Donnell, G. O'Rielly, B. Oussena, M. F. Preston, B. Schröder, B. Seitz, I. Strakovsky, M. Taragin

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

The electromagnetic polarizabilities of the nucleon are fundamental nucleon-structure observables that characterize its response to external electromagnetic fields. The neutron polarizabilities can be accessed from Compton-scattering data on light nuclear targets. Recent measurements of the differential cross section for Compton scattering on the deuteron below the pion-production threshold have decreased the uncertainties in the neutron polarizabilities, yet the proton polarizabilities remain known substantially more accurately. As the sensitivity of the cross section to the polarizabilities increases with incident photon energy, measurements above the pion threshold may offer a way for an improved determination of the neutron polarizabilities. In this Rapid …

Laser-Induced Recoverable Surface Patterning On Ni50ti50 Shape Memory Alloys, Saidjafarzoda Ilhom

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Shape memory alloys (SMAs) are a unique class of smart materials exhibiting extraordinary properties with a wide range of applications in engineering, biomedical, and aerospace technologies. In this study, an advanced, efficient, low-cost, and highly scalable laser-assisted imprinting method with low environmental impact to create thermally controllable surface patterns is reported. Two different imprinting methods were carried out mainly on Ni50Ti50 (at. %) SMAs by using a nanosecond pulsed Nd:YAG laser operating at 1064 nm wavelength and 10 Hz frequency. First, laser pulses at selected fluences were directly focused on the NiTi surface, which generated pressure pulses of up to …

Generation Of Large-Volume Diffuse Plasma By An External Ionization Wave From A Single-Electrode Plasma Jet, Seyed Hamid Razavi Barzoki

Electrical & Computer Engineering Theses & Dissertations

A non-thermal transient diffuse plasma can be generated remotely in a nonconductive reduced pressure chamber by an external guided fast ionization wave (FIW). We found that an atmospheric-pressure low-temperature plasma jet (APPJ) can be a source of FIW which transfers an enhanced electric field at the wave front across a reduced pressure Pyrex glass chamber with no electrical connection to the chamber. Here, we studied the formation and propagation of the APPJ plasma, the interaction of atmospheric-pressure guided FIW with a dielectric surface which forms the wall of the reduced-pressure system, and the formation and propagation of the reduce-pressure FIW …

Control Of Harmonic Generation By The Time Delay Between Two-Color, Bicircular Few-Cycle Mid-Ir Laser Pulses, M. V. Frolov, N. L. Manakov, A. A. Minina, N. V. Vvedenskii, A. A. Silaev, M. Yu. Ivanov, Anthony F. Starace

Anthony F. Starace Publications

We study control of high-order harmonic generation (HHG) driven by time-delayed, few-cycle ω and 2ω counterrotating mid-IR pulses. Our numerical and analytical study shows that the time delay between the two-color pulses allows control of the harmonic positions, both those allowed by angular momentum conservation and those seemingly forbidden by it. Moreover, the helicity of any particular harmonic is tunable from left to right circular without changing the driving pulse helicity. The highest HHG yield occurs for a time delay comparable to the fundamental period T = 2π/ω.

Production Of Photoionized Plasmas In The Laboratory With X-Ray Line Radiation, S. White, R. Irwin, J. R. Warwick, G. F. Gribakin, G. Sarri, F. P. Keenan, D. Riley, S. J. Rose, E. G. Hill, Gary J. Ferland, B. Han, F. Wang, G. Zhao

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

In this paper we report the experimental implementation of a theoretically proposed technique for creating a photoionized plasma in the laboratory using x-ray line radiation. Using a Sn laser plasma to irradiate an Ar gas target, the photoionization parameter, ξ = 4πF/N_e, reached values of order 50erg cm s⁻¹, where F is the radiation flux in erg cm⁻² s⁻¹. The significance of this is that this technique allows us to mimic effective spectral radiation temperatures in excess of 1 keV. We show that our plasma starts to be collisionally dominated …

Spectroscopy And Formation Of Lanthanum-Hydrocarbon Radicals Formed By Association And Carbon-Carbon Bond Cleavage Of Isoprene, Wenjin Cao, Dilkrushi Hewage, Dong-Sheng Yang

Chemistry Faculty Publications

La atom reaction with isoprene is carried out in a laser-vaporization molecular beam source. The reaction yields an adduct as the major product and C—C cleaved and dehydrogenated species as the minor ones. La(C₅H₈), La(C₂H₂), and La(C₃H₄) are characterized with mass-analyzed threshold ionization (MATI) spectroscopy and quantum chemical computations. The MATI spectra of all three species exhibit a strong origin band and several weak vibronic bands corresponding to La-ligand stretch and ligand-based bend excitations. La(C₅H₈) is a five-membered metallacycle, whereas La(C₂H_{2 …}

Magnetic Anisotropy And Exchange Bias In L10 Fept/Nio Bilayer Thin Films, Zachary B. Leuty

Graduate Theses/Dissertations

Perpendicular exchange bias (PEB), particularly when it persists in nanomaterials to room temperature, is highly useful for applications in spintronic devices and for advancing the development of high-information-density magnetic random access memory. A complete mechanistic and theoretical understanding of exchange bias has evaded scientists. The quest to discover novel materials for magnetic and spintronic device applications has stimulated investigation into nanomaterials having optimal and/or tailored magnetic properties that are based on the exchange bias effect. In this study, pulsed laser deposition was used to grow epitaxial PEB systems of ferromagnetic FePt thin film layers that are interfaced with antiferromagnetic NiO …

Enhancing High-Order Harmonic Generation By Sculpting Waveforms With Chirp, Dian Peng, M. V. Frolov, Liang-Wen Pi, Anthony F. Starace

Anthony F. Starace Publications

We present a theoretical analysis showing how chirp can be used to sculpt two-color driving laser field waveforms in order to enhance high-order harmonic generation (HHG) and/or extend HHG cutoff energies. Specifically, we consider driving laser field waveforms composed of two ultrashort pulses having different carrier frequencies in each of which a linear chirp is introduced. Two pairs of carrier frequencies of the component pulses are considered: (ω, 2ω) and (ω, 3ω). Our results show how changing the signs of the chirps in each of the two component pulses leads to drastic changes in the HHG spectra. Our theoretical analysis …

Diffraction Of Laguerre Gaussian Vortex Beams, Anindya Ambuj

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The natural phenomenon of waves bending around obstacles is diffraction. Spatial characteristics of the diffraction pattern depends on the incident wave field, the shape, and size of the aperture. The diffraction of a plane wave of light by a slit and a circular aperture produce the sinc-squared and the Airy intensity patterns, respectively. On the contrary, the diffraction of Laguerre-Gauss vortex (LGV) beams by simple apertures such as a slit, circular apertures, and polygons show many unexpected features.

LGV beams have ρ ` e i`φ transverse spatial dependence, where ρ is the distance from the beam axis, φ the azimuthal …

Ion Beams In Multi-Species Plasma, Evan M. Aguirre, Earl E. Scime, Timothy N. Good

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

Argon and xenon ion velocity distribution functions are measured in Ar-He, Ar-Xe, and Xe-He expanding helicon plasmas to determine if ion beam velocity is enhanced by the presence of lighter ions. Contrary to observations in mixed gas sheath experiments, we find that adding a lighter ion does not increase the ion beam speed. The predominant effect is a reduction of ion beam velocity consistent with increased drag arising from increased gas pressure under all conditions: constant total gas pressure, equal plasma densities of different ions, and very different plasma densities of different ions. These results suggest that the physics responsible …

Optimization Of Magnetic Chicane For Maximum Electron Beam Compression, Nathan W. Ray, Vida-Michelle Nixon, Matthias Fuchs

UCARE: Research Products

Research concerned with optimizing a negatively chirped, relativistic, short electron beam using General Particle Tracer (GPT). The GPT simulations have the ability to include realistic beam effects such as space charge, fringe fields and emittance. A series of electron beam energy spreads were simulated through several different iterations of dipole magnets and, utilizing GPT's optimization ability, the most consistent set of parameters was selected and displayed on the poster. With our presented iteration of parameters we noted a 89.5% compression of the electron beam along the propagating axis.

Pseudo Linear Hall Effect Thruster Characterization Through Potential, Magnetic, And Optical Measurements, Braeden A. Sheets

Theses and Dissertations

Electric propulsion systems are a more mass efficient method for providing a change in velocity, ΔV, to on-orbit spacecraft, than their chemical counterparts. In comparison, electric systems generally have a much higher specific impulse, Isp, than chemical systems. One option within the realm of electric propulsion is Hall Effect Thrusters, which have moderately high specific impulse values. From their advent in the 1960s, Hall Effect Thrusters have been used for orbit station keeping, attitude control, and orbit transfer. Although the discharge cavity is conventionally circular, pseudo-linear or racetrack shaped cavities have been developed. Even though Hall thrusters have decades of …

Plasmonic Grating Geometrics And Wavelength-Dependent Focus Depth In Infrared Detectors, Patrick R. Kennedy

Theses and Dissertations

The objective for this research is to determine a relationship between plasmonic grating geometries and the wavelength-dependent focus depth. This research is focused on enhancing the signal collected by infrared detectors by using a metal grating as a planar lens to focus light in the detecting region of the substrate. This can be used to maintain a thinner absorbing region and possibly to create multi-color imaging in a single pixel. Simulations demonstrate that the plasmonic lens is capable of creating a wavelength dependent focus spot.

Electron Parallel Closures For The 3 + 1 Fluid Model, Jeong-Young Ji, Ilon Joseph

All Physics Faculty Publications

Linear closures are obtained for arbitrary collisionality for the 3 þ 1 fluid model which includes the evolution of density, flow velocity, and pressure both parallel and perpendicular to a preferred direction, usually a magnetic field. A large set of 6400 moment equations is solved to provide closures that are accurate in the collisional regime and well into the collisionless regime. The closures in the collisionless limit are determined by solving the kinetic equation with a model collision operator. Simple fits for the kernel functions that define the closures are obtained for arbitrary collisionality in wave number space. The results …

Excited Argon 1s5 Production In Microhollow Cathode Discharges, Richard D. Peterson

Theses and Dissertations

Diode-pumped rare gas lasers (DPRGL) have been in development for their potential to become high energy lasers with excellent beam quality that is typical of gas lasers. DPRGL require metastable densities on the order of 10¹³ cm^-3 at pressures around one atmosphere for efficient operation. Argon 1s5 number densities have been measured in microhollow cathode discharges (MHCD) using tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy. The MHCD had copper electrodes with gaps of 127 and 254 µm and hole diameters from 100-400 µm. Absorbance was measured at pressures of 37 Torr up to 400 Torr, where absorbance could no longer …

Time-Resolved Electron (E,2E) Momentum Spectroscopy: Application To Laser-Driven Electron Population Transfer In Atoms, Hua-Chieh Shao, Anthony F. Starace

Anthony F. Starace Publications

Owing to its ability to provide unique information on electron dynamics, time-resolved electron momentum spectroscopy (EMS) is used to study theoretically a laser-driven electronic motion in atoms. Specifically, a chirped laser pulse is used to adiabatically transfer the populations of lithium atoms from the ground state to the first excited state. During this process, impact ionization near the Bethe ridge by time-delayed ultrashort, high-energy electron pulses is used to image the instantaneous momentum density of this electronic population transfer. Simulations with 100 fs and 1 fs pulse durations demonstrate the capability of EMS to image the time-varying momentum density, including …

Lanthanum-Mediated Dehydrogenation Of Butenes: Spectroscopy And Formation Of La(C4H6) Isomers, Wenjin Cao, Dilkrushi Hewage, Dong-Sheng Yang

Chemistry Faculty Publications

La atom reactions with 1-butene, 2-butene, and isobutene are carried out in a laser-vaporization molecular beam source. The three reactions yield the same La-hydrocarbon products from the dehydrogenation and carbon-carbon bond cleavage and coupling of the butenes. The dehydrogenated species La(C₄H₆) is the major product, which is characterized with mass-analyzed threshold ionization (MATI) spectroscopy and quantum chemical computations. The MATI spectrum of La(C₄H₆) produced from the La+1-butene reaction exhibits two band systems, whereas the MATI spectra produced from the La+2-butene and isobutene reactions display only a single band system. Each of these …

Numerical Solutions To Hall Magnetohydrodynamic Equations Near An X-Type Magnetic Neutral Line, Kyle Reger

The Pegasus Review: UCF Undergraduate Research Journal

The Hall Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) model is a new paradigm for describing fast magnetic reconnection processes in space and laboratory plasmas. Current sheets form and store enormous amounts of magnetic energy at X-type magnetic neutral points, which is released as magnetic storms when the sheets break up. The fast magnetic reconnection process impacts solar flares and Earth's geomagnetic sub-storms, which affect global weather. The fast magnetic reconnection process also influences fusion reactors, which may be used as a future energy source. Numerical analysis of approximate solutions to the Hall MHD equations at X-type magnetic neutral points offer these solutions further credence …

Xuv-Assisted High-Order-Harmonic-Generation Spectroscopy, T. S. Sarantseva, M. V. Frolov, N. L. Manakov, A. A. Silaev, N. V. Vvedenskii, Anthony F. Starace

Anthony F. Starace Publications

Using the analytic time-dependent effective range theory, we study two-color high-order harmonic generation (HHG) involving a weak extreme ultraviolet (XUV) pulse and an intense infrared laser field. Our analysis shows that XUV-assisted HHG spectra contain multiple additional plateau structures originating from absorption of one or more XUV photons at the photorecombination step of HHG. We show also that the HHG rate corresponding to the nth plateau can be presented in a factorized form involving the XUV-assisted (multiphoton) photorecombination cross section (PRCS) corresponding to absorption of n XUV photons of energy Ω and emission of a harmonic of energy Ω_{h …}

Comparison Between The Water Activation Effects By Pulsed And Sinusoidal Helium Plasma Jets, Han Xu, Dingxin Liu, Wenjie Xia, Chen Chen, Weitao Wang, Zhijie Liu, Xiaohua Wang, Michael G. Kong

Bioelectrics Publications

Comparisons between pulsed and sinusoidal plasma jets have been extensively reported for the discharge characteristics and gaseous reactive species, but rarely for the aqueous reactive species in water solutions treated by the two types of plasma jets. This motivates us to compare the concentrations of aqueous reactive species induced by a pulsed and a sinusoidal plasma jet, since it is widely reported that these aqueous reactive species play a crucial role in various plasma biomedical applications. Experimental results show that the aqueous H₂O₂, OH/O₂⁻, and O₂⁻/ONOO⁻ induced by the …

Production And Correlation Of Reactive Oxygen And Nitrogen Species In Gas- And Liquid-Phase Generated By Helium Plasma Jets Under Different Pulse Widths, Zhijie Liu, Chunxi Zhou, Dingxin Liu, Dehui Xu, Wenjie Xia, Qingjie Cui, Bingchuan Wang, Michael G. Kong

Bioelectrics Publications

In this paper, we present the effects of the pulse width (PW) on the plasma jet's discharge characteristics, particularly focusing on the production and correlation of the reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) in gas- and liquid-phase. It is found that the length of plasma jet plume first increases before the PW of 10 μs, then gradually decreases and finally almost remains unchanged beyond 150 μs. The plasma bullet disappears after the falling edge of the voltage pulse at low PW, while it terminates far ahead of the falling edge of voltage pulse at high PW. This is …

Plasma Medicine: A Brief Introduction, Mounir Laroussi

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

This mini review is to introduce the readers of Plasma to the field of plasma medicine. This is a multidisciplinary field of research at the intersection of physics, engineering, biology and medicine. Plasma medicine is only about two decades old, but the research community active in this emerging field has grown tremendously in the last few years. Today, research is being conducted on a number of applications including wound healing and cancer treatment. Although a lot of knowledge has been created and our understanding of the fundamental mechanisms that play important roles in the interaction between low temperature plasma and …

Developing Computational Models For Pulsed-Inductive Plasma Formation, Zachary Aaron Gill

Masters Theses

"Pulsed-inductive discharges are a common method of producing a plasma. They provide a mechanism for quickly and efficiently generating a large volume of plasma for rapid use and are seen in applications including propulsion, fusion power, and high-power lasers. However, some common designs see a delayed response time due to the plasma forming when the magnitude of the magnetic field in the device is at a minimum. New designs are difficult to evaluate due to the amount of time needed to construct a new geometry and the high monetary cost of changing the power generation circuit. To more quickly evaluate …

Spatial Structure Of Ion Beams In An Expanding Plasma, Evan M. Aguirre, Earl E. Scime, Derek S. Thompson, Timothy N. Good

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

We report spatially resolved perpendicular and parallel, to the magnetic field, ion velocity distribution function (IVDF) measurements in an expanding argon helicon plasma. The parallel IVDFs, obtained through laser induced fluorescence (LIF), show an ion beam with v ≈ 8000 m/s flowing downstream and confined to the center of the discharge. The ion beam is measurable for tens of centimeters along the expansion axis before the LIF signal fades, likely a result of metastable quenching of the beam ions. The parallel ion beam velocity slows in agreement with expectations for the measured parallel electric field. The perpendicular IVDFs show an …

Compton Scattering From 4He At 61 Mev, M. H. Sikora, M. W. Ahmed, A. Banu, C. Bartram, B. Crowe, E. J. Downie, G. Feldman, H. Gao, H. W. Grießhammer, H. Hao, C. R. Howell, H. J. Karwowski, D. P. Kendellen, Michael A. Kovash, X. Li, D. M. Markoff, S. Mikhailov, V. Popov, R. E. Pywell, J. A. Silano, M. C. Spraker, P. Wallace, H. R. Weller, C. S. Whisnant, Y. K. Wu, W. Xiong, X. Yan, Z. W. Zhao

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

The Compton scattering cross section from ⁴He has been measured with high statistical accuracy over a scattering angle range of 40^∘−159^∘ using a quasimonoenergetic 61-MeV photon beam at the High Intensity Gamma-Ray Source. The data are interpreted using a phenomenological model sensitive to the dipole isoscalar electromagnetic polarizabilities (α_s and β_s) of the nucleon. These data can be fit with the model using values of α_s and β_s that are consistent with the currently accepted values. These data will serve as benchmarks of future calculations from effective field theories and …