SPRINT (Sources de particules & rayonnement intenses)

High-power lasers are at present the best technological tool mankind has developed in order to concentrate, in the form of a light beam, energy in time and space. This allows in general to transfer to matter such concentrated energy, which can take various forms: either “thermal” (as in the Sun where matter is heated -by gravitation forces- to millions of degrees), or “kinetic” (as in particle accelerators where particles are given enormous forward directed energy). High-power lasers allows us to excite matter in these two forms, and in all intermediate stages. This opens up the investigation of matter in those various states, as well as considering which applications can be drawn from such extreme matter states.
The SPRINT group is pursuing, in collaboration with many international groups, several research avenues in this general frame, from exploiting plasmas for handling light or particles, to mimicking fusion or star-forming phenomena in the laboratory.

Research topics

Physics of inertial fusion

• investigating laser-plasma coupling, in particular the impact of non-local heat transport and of magnetic fields
• investigating the coupling between self-generated magnetic fields and plasma hydrodynamics on fusion target walls

Laser-plasma radiation and particle sources

• optimization of laser-generated ion and electron beams
• intense ion irradiation and Warm Dense Matter production
• ion-matter coupling and ion stopping in matter
• generation and characterization of secondary (ultra-)short and bright neutron and γ sources

Laboratory astrophysics

• studies of cosmic magnetic fields, nested outflows, radiative shocks & cataclysmic variables

Magnetized laboratory astrophysics

• investigating star-formation physics: accretion, mass ejection through jets, ionization of interstellar medium
• investigating particle acceleration in astrophysical phenomena (fast winds, plasma collisions)

Plasma photonics devices

• developing plasma amplifiers for extreme power generation and plasma refocusing devices

The SPRINT group is also actively involved in the commissioning of the APOLLON laser facility, in experiments on the large-scale PETAL facility and other worlwide facilities, e.g. ELI-NP (RO) and ELI-Beamlines (CZ).