High Energy Density Science Division (HEDS)
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In brief: Radiation damage lowers melting point of potential fusion reactor material
SLAC’s ‘electron camera’ films rapidly melting tungsten and reveals atomic-level material behavior that could impact the design of future reactors.
In brief: A new collider concept would take quantum theories to an extreme
The approach could advance our understanding of fundamental forces under extreme conditions with applications from astrophysics to fusion research.
Tangled magnetic fields power cosmic particle accelerators
SLAC scientists find a new way to explain how a black hole’s plasma jets boost particles to the highest energies observed in the universe. The results could also prove useful for fusion and accelerator research on Earth.
Emma McBride and Caterina Vernieri Receive 2018 Panofsky Fellowships at SLAC
Their work will deepen our understanding of matter in extreme conditions and fundamental particle physics.
Atomic Movie of Melting Gold Could Help Design Materials for Future Fusion Reactors
SLAC’s high-speed ‘electron camera’ shows for the first time the coexistence of solid and liquid in laser-heated gold, providing new clues for designing materials that can withstand extreme conditions.
SLAC X-ray Laser Reveals How Extreme Shocks Deform a Metal’s Atomic Structure
A new way to observe this deformation as it happens can help study a wide range of phenomena, from meteor impacts to high-performance ceramics used in armor, as well as how to protect spacecraft from high-speed dust impacts.
Scientists Create ‘Diamond Rain’ That Forms in the Interior of Icy Giant Planets
SLAC’s X-ray laser and Matter in Extreme Conditions instrument allow researchers to examine the exotic precipitation in real time as it materializes in the laboratory.
Newly Upgraded Laser Allows Scientists to Peer Further Into the Extreme Universe at SLAC’s LCLS
Tripling the energy and refining the shape of optical laser pulses at LCLS’s Matter in Extreme Conditions instrument allows researchers to recreate higher-pressure conditions and explore unsolved questions relevant to fusion energy, plasma physics and materials science.
Three SLAC Scientists Receive DOE Early Career Research Grants
Zeeshan Ahmed, Frederico Fiuza and Emilio Nanni will each receive about $2.5 million over five years to pursue cutting-edge research into cosmic inflation, plasma acceleration and using terahertz waves to accelerate particles.
Fields and Flows Fire Up Cosmic Accelerators
Frederico Fiuza and his team are conducting thorough investigations of plasma physics to discern the fundamental processes that accelerate particles.
