EUV emission of femtosecond laser-induced nano-plasmas

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EUV emission of femtosecond laser-induced nano-plasmas

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Job description

Offer DescriptionThe advancement of Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) lithography relies on compact, high-brightness sources of EUV radiation. Currently, these sources are large-scale and complex, often requiring extensive installations with multiple CO2 lasers focused onto a single micro-sphere of frozen water. This bulkiness presents a significant limitation, and the emission has no directional control.This PhD thesis will build on a decade of research into novel laser-matter interaction schemes using spatio-temporally shaped pulses in our group [1] for laser materials processing applications. When appropriately focused inside transparent solids, for instance using Bessel beams, femtosecond laser pulses can be absorbed via nonlinear ionization in extremely confined nano-plasmas with very high energy densities, which lead to the generation of Warm Dense Matter [2]. The confinement within nanoscale plasmas has been recently assessed by ultrafast pump-probe experiments [3,4].Here, this thesis will explore the XUV emission of nano-plasma rods, generated through the irradiation of solid dielectrics with high-intensity shaped femtosecond laser pulses. Advanced Particle-In-Cell simulations from our group show that a fraction of the free-electrons in the plasma are highly accelerated, from eV to several keV around the critical plasma surface at which field amplification takes place [4,5]. This suggests that the laser-solid interaction will yield EUV emissions in a highly confined and controllable new scheme.The initial phase of the research is to develop a setup capable of recording EUV emissions from laser-induced nanoplasmas. All the necessary equipment is already available within our laboratory. In a second step, the PhD student will focus on identifying the key plasma control parameters that influence brightness, aiming for optimal spatial and temporal control. Finally, spatial shaping of the laser pulse will be employed to engineer the spatial profile of the emission pattern, allowing for greater directionality and luminosity.The successful implementation of this project is expected to result in applications towards more compact and efficient EUV sources, with enhanced luminosity and directional control. This could lead to significant advancements in EUV lithography. This will also offer new insights into the laser-matter interaction mechanisms for laser material processing applications.References[1] High aspect ratio nanochannel machining using single shot femtosecond Bessel beamsM. K. Bhuyan, F. Courvoisier, P.-A. Lacourt, M. Jacquot, R. Salut, L. Furfaro, and J. M. Dudley,Applied Physics Letters, 97, 081102 (2010)[2] Nanoscale confinement of energy deposition in glass by double ultrafast Bessel pulsesJ. del Hoyo, R. Meyer, L. Furfaro and F. CourvoisierNanophotonics, 10, 1089-1097 (2021)[3] In-situ diagnostic of femtosecond laser probe pulses for high resolution ultrafast imagingC. Xie, R. Meyer, L. Froehly, R. Giust, and F. Courvoisier,Light: Science & Applications 10, 126 (2021).[4] Femtosecond laser-induced sub-wavelength plasma inside dielectrics: I. Field enhancement, Kazem Ardaneh, Remi Meyer, Mostafa Hassan, Remo Giust, Benoit Morel, Arnaud Couairon, Guy Bonnaud, and Francois Courvoisier,Physics of Plasmas 29, 072715 (2022)[5] K. Ardaneh, R. Giust, P.-J. Charpin, B. Morel and F. Courvoisier ” Electron heating and radiation in high aspect ratio sub-micron plasma generated by an ultrafast Bessel pulse within a solid dielectric “,The European Physical Journal Special Topics, 232, 2247-2252 (2023).Funding category: Contrat doctoralPHD title: Optique et photoniquePHD Country: FranceWhere to apply WebsiteRequirementsSpecific RequirementsExcellent scientist, open-minded physicist. The applicant must demonstrate a track-record of previous experimental work (at least significant lab courses). English-speaking is mandatory as our group is highly international.The candidate will join an enthusiastic team with diverse profiles in physics and photonics.Scientific honesty, curiosity and willingness to learn are key values in our group.Additional InformationWork Location(s)Number of offers available 1 Company/Institute FEMTO-ST institute Country France City Besancon GeofieldContact WebsiteSTATUS: EXPIREDShare this page

Expected salary

Location

Besançon, Doubs

Job date

Sun, 24 Aug 2025 07:34:52 GMT

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