I earned my undergraduate degree in Computer Science from Aberystwyth University in 2021. Subsequently, I dedicated two years to working in the financial industry as a software developer. During this period, I developed a strong interest in fusion energy and decided to pursue further studies at the Fusion CDT in York. I am currently undertaking a Ph.D. program with a focus on X-ray generation in high energy density plasmas under the guidance of Dr. Christopher Ridgers.
High power lasers produce extremely strong electromagnetic fields in their focus. The fields rapidly strip electrons from atoms to produce a plasma. These electrons can strongly radiate x-rays by bremsstrahlung. These x-rays are very useful for radiographing dense material and have been proposed as a diagnostic tool for ICF experiments. In ICF a driver is used to compress DT fusion fuel capsules to high density and temperature. This compression is unstable and deformations of the spherical fuel capsule inhibit fusion performance. Solving this is a major research question in ICF but is difficult due to a lack of diagnostic information about the shape of the compressed fuel. My project will include utilising machine learning techniques applied to EPOCH, a particle-in-cell simulation software, to explore how we can control laser-driven bremsstrahlung sources to better review how the fuel compresses.This endeavour is anticipated to serve as the foundation for an Orion experiment at the AWE.