Development and APPLIcation of ultrashort

electron and light source

The APPLI group was created in 2013. We combine broad expertise from two different fields of physics: (i) ultrafast dynamics in condensed matter, (ii) and the field of relativistic laser-plasma interaction. We rely on pump-probe experiments with photons and/or electrons as probes for studying the dynamics of matter on very short time scales (femtosecond). With the help of these tools, we attempt to bring new insights into materials such as ultrafast switches, materials for solar energy… At the fundamental level, we are interested in the dynamics of phase transitions in out-of-equilibrium conditions and in the interplay between various degrees of freedom (spins, carriers, lattice) in complex materials.

Half of the group is also dedicating research efforts toward the development of new experimental tools to achieve these goals. In particular, we are developing a new technology called “laser-plasma acceleration” for creating ultrashort pulses of electrons and X-rays. Laser-plasma accelerators are based on the interaction of an ultra-high intensity laser pulse with an underdense plasma. The laser pulse generates plasma waves that accelerate electrons to relativistic energies in micrometer distances, thereby producing femtosecond electron bunches. Our group is currently working on a high-repetition rate laser-plasma accelerator (kHz repetition rate), with parameters relevant for probing materials on atomics spatial and temporal scales.The group is exploring the physics of laser-plasma accelerators as well as its potential applications in ultrafast dynamics but also medical applications.

Photo: Aline Vernier aligning the Salle Noire laser for electron acceleration experiments. The laser delivers single cycle pulses of 3.5 fs only !

RECENT AND CURRENT RESEARCH PROJECTS

Team members:

Jérôme Faure, Research Director CNRS

Davide Boschetto, Professor at ENSTA

Alessandro Flacco, Associate Professor at ENSTA

Aline Vernier, Research Engineer at Ecole Polytechnique

Igor Andriyash, Research Engineer at CNRS

Emmanuel Peronne, Researcher at CNRS

Mateusz Weis, postdoctoral researcher

Marie Cherasse, postdoctoral researcher

Joséphine Monzac, PhD student

Simon Mizrahi, PhD student

Amélie Chies, PhD student

Simon Gwenael Mizrahi, PhD student

Camilla Giaccaglia, PhD student

 
Alumni:
  • PhD Students:

Yannick Glinec, PhD 2006, now research engineer at Carestream

Clément Rechatin, PhD 2009, now scientist at AREVA

Benoit Beaurepaire, PhD in 2016, now engineer at THALES LASER

Maxence Thévenet, PhD 2016, now scientist at DESY

Dominykas Gustas, PhD 2019, now design engineer at ASML

Isabel Gonzalez Vallejo, PhD 2019, now postdoc at MBI, Berlin

Neil Zaim, PhD 2019, now postdoc at CEA Saclay

Lucas Rovige, PhD 2022, now postdoc at UCLA

  • Postdocs:

Henri Vincenti (2013-2014), now researcher at CEA Saclay

Geoffrey Gallé (2013-2016), now engineer at ARDOP

Diego Guénot (2015-2017), now scientist at Lund Laser Center, Sweden

Catherine Leblanc, Research Enginer at CNRS, now at APOLLON

Julius Huijts (2019-2022), now postdoc at