Laser-Plasma Accelerators: Riding the Wave to the Next Generation X-Ray Light Sources

Particle accelerators have been revolutionizing discoveries in science, medicine, industry and national security for over a century. An estimated 30,000 particle accelerators are currently active around the world. In these machines, electromagnetic fields accelerate charged particles to velocities nearing the speed of light. Although their scientific appeal will remain evident for many decades, one limitation of the current generation of machines is their tremendous size and expense. This presentation, scientists will explore how the use of plasma may serve as a more sustainable way to reduce the size of accelerators and revolutionize applications in medicine, industry, and basic sciences.

Speaker: Felicie Albert, National Ignition Facility; Dan Burns, Los Gatos High School Teacher

Free for high school students.