Practical trainings, student assistants and theses

HZDR develops and operates two high-intensity lasers as drivers for plasma-based accelerators—a novel concept for compact sources that deliver ultra-short pulses of high-energy ions and electrons. We experimentally investigate plasma-based acceleration from the physical fundamentals to applications, for example, for free-electron lasers, as particle sources for radiobiological studies, or for neutron sources.
A variety of detectors are used for the characterization and optimization of plasma acceleration. The focus is on implementing and optimizing data analysis methods for existing detector technologies using new methods, including machine learning.

Focus of the Work:

• Design and application of scintillator-based tomographic detector systems
• Further development of existing algorithms and implementation of new data analysis methods (using, among other tools, PyTorch)
• Data analysis

• Studies in Physics, Physical Engineering (or a comparable field of study)
• Interest in programming, machine learning, and ideally basic knowledge with Python, PyTorch
• Interest in experimental work

• Duration: at least 3 months, the topic can easily be expanded into a thesis
• Start: anytime
• Workplace: Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden – Rossendorf

The HZDR develops and operates two high-intensity lasers as drivers for plasma-based accelerators - a novel concept for compact sources delivering ultrashort pulses of high-energy ions and electrons. We conduct experimental research into plasma-based acceleration, from the physical principles to applications, for example for free-electron lasers, as particle sources for radiobiological studies or for neutron sources.
One of the ways we gain an understanding of the processes involved in plasma acceleration is by detecting and spectrally characterizing the accelerated particles and comparing the measurement results with simulations of plasma dynamics. To this end, the detection and evaluation methods for energetic electrons in particular must be optimized.

Work plan:

- design and simulation of electron spectrometers
- construction of electron spectrometers and integration into the experimental setup
- further development of existing algorithms for data evaluation
- data analysis

• studies in physics (or comparable course of study)
• interest in experimental work
• interest in programming and ideally basic knowledge (e.g. Python)

• duration: at least 3 months, an extension of the topic to a thesis is possible without any problems
• start: at any time
• workplace: Helmholtz Center Dresden - Rossendorf