Three (3) PhD Scholarships in Accelerator Physics, University of Liverpool, UK (2015 - 2016)

There are several PhD position vacancies in the QUASAR Group. We cover the development and experimental exploitation of particle accelerators.

Current vacancies include the development of novel optical diagnostics for present and future accelerators, characterization of the longitudinal and transverse energy distribution of electrons emitted from photo cathodes using TESS and the VELA/CLARA accelerator, as well as investigations into Laser-electron beam Interaction in a Storage Ring. The latter is a joint PhD project with SOLEIL, near Paris, where you would be spending half of your time in the UK, half in France.

Your project will consist of the development of two different diagnostics: Firstly, you would experimentally validate a new method to determine the rms emittance of beams with significant space charge. This method, if successful, will provide the accelerator community a new, easily implemented, accurate means to measure emittance of low to moderate energy (15-500 MeV) electron beams. Secondly, you would develop a new method that can measure any bunch length, is simple to implement, capable of single‐shot measurements and is useful over very wide range of beam energies. The technique employs the angular distribution of CDR produced as the bunch passes through a simple aperture, e.g. a slit. The method will be validated and optimized in the project.

Characterisation of the longitudinal and transverse energy distribution of electrons emitted from photocathodes using TESS and the VELA/CLARA accelerator

Knowledge of photocathode emission properties is essential to the accelerator community to drive forward the increases in electron beam brightness necessary to maximise exploitation of current and planned FEL facilities. This research project will focus on measuring the transverse and longitudinal energy distribution curves for photoelectrons emitted from a variety of metal and semiconductor photocathode sources, with the intention of identifying the optimum photocathode materials and preparation techniques to achieve minimum energy spread.

Research Fields
Physics - Applied physics

Further details:
http://ec.europa.eu