Ann-Marie Norton
Postgraduate Researcher
University of York
Co-hort year: 2021 entry
I’m a final-year PhD student at the University of York focusing on Plasma Science and Fusion Energy. My background is in Physics with Astrophysics, and I obtained an MPhys (with First Class Honours) in this subject, also at the University of York.
My PhD research examines how different materials respond to high-power dynamic compression and includes experimental work using the European XFEL facility. XFELs produces a laser-like pulsed X-ray beam that will be used on the femtosecond timescale to reveal how the material deforms under high pressures and temperatures. Real-time probing of the material will be carried out using X-ray diffraction. I have been part of three experimental campaigns at EuXFEL as part of my PhD, two of which were large-scale community proposals. These experiments have yielded high-quality data, which is currently being analysed by multiple techniques, including simulating textured diffraction patterns. This work can shed light on how matter under extreme conditions often exhibits unique and exotic characteristics and has applications in Inertial Confinement Fusion, planetary science, and aerospace engineering. Additionally, I have been exploring the development of novel tape targets for use in High Repetition Rate (HRR) XFEL experiments. This work has been done in collaboration with the Central Laser Facility.
