Selected projects
Research Projects
From accelerator and electric-propulsion modelling to present-day laser–plasma experiments and diagnostic development.
IFuEL · Laser-Driven Plasmas
Current research · University of Rostock
Numerical modelling and diagnostic development for laser-produced plasmas and accelerated ions. Activities include simulations of laser–matter interaction and the design and interpretation of time-resolved Faraday cup, Thomson parabola and X-ray spectroscopy measurements. Experimental work and modelling are being developed together to connect measured signals with ion energy distributions and plasma conditions.
ABEP · Hybrid PIC–Fluid Development
Collaboration · Code development
Research related to air-breathing electric propulsion (ABEP), including development of the ZR PIC–fluid hybrid modelling approach. The broader direction is to connect numerical predictions with later-stage experimental investigations and validation. Scientific collaboration and guidance of Master’s-level research at Goethe University Frankfurt contribute to this work.
ValidPIC · Radio-Frequency Ion Thrusters
Miniaturized radio-frequency ion thrusters provide fine control and low propellant consumption for space missions. As the discharge chamber becomes smaller, direct internal plasma measurements become difficult. Kinetic simulations help characterize density, temperature and other plasma properties for design optimization.
For RIT-1.0, the in-house PlasmaPIC code combines Particle-in-Cell (PIC) modelling with Monte Carlo collisions (MCC) and Direct Simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) treatment of neutral gas. For the larger RIT-2.5, kinetic–fluid hybrid modelling was developed, alongside comparisons with experimental measurements.
Cyclotron Gas Stopper · NSCL / MSU
At NSCL/MSU, I worked on the cyclotron gas stopper, which slows energetic ions in a sector-focusing cyclotron magnetic field with low-pressure helium buffer gas (up to approximately 150 mbar). RF-guiding methods are used to extract the stopped ions.
I adapted and used particle-tracking simulations to evaluate machine acceptance for different ions, help design the injection channel and vacuum vessel, and calculate beam envelopes. The relativistic particle mover used the Boris method. Beam optics through the A1900 separator were investigated with TRANSPORT and LISE++, matching beam emittances to calculated acceptances.
Frankfurt Neutron Source · FRANZ
At Goethe University Frankfurt, I investigated beam transport through the FRANZ chopper system. PIC calculations included space-charge effects, secondary-electron production, transport of multiple ion species and the influence of kicker pulses on bunch shape. Test experiments provided comparisons with simulations and evidence of space-charge compensation from secondary electrons produced at the beam dump.
F8SR · Figure-8 Storage Ring
My doctoral research investigated transport and storage of intense ion beams in a proposed stellarator-type figure-8 storage ring with a longitudinal magnetic field. I developed PIC modelling in magnetic coordinates to investigate space charge and studied low-energy, high-current ion-beam transport through curved sectors with toroidal magnetic fields, including experimental comparisons.
Beam & Plasma Diagnostics
My earlier work included residual-gas beam-profile diagnostics, tomographic reconstruction, and a photodiode-ring instrument for transverse beam-profile measurement in curved magnetic fields. A photodiode-ring prototype was constructed and investigated in a Bachelor’s thesis at Goethe University Frankfurt, with comparisons between simulation and experiment.
Current IFuEL diagnostic work includes time-resolved Faraday cups, Thomson parabola spectrometry and X-ray spectroscopy.