Advanced design of fiber-optic-based dosimeters for neutron applications
This topic covers the effects of irradiation in optical fibers, aiming at developing dosimeters for in situ characterization (flux, fluence, spatial homogeneity) of CEA experimental facilities. The use of irradiation machines is essential for studying the vulnerability and for the qualification of electronic, optoelectronic and optical components and systems in a radiative environment. Controlling the characteristics of irradiation beams (geometry, homogeneity, flux or energy spectrum) is essential. Monitoring these characteristics is not always available in situ, due to the lack of instrumentation adapted to operation in such extreme environments (radiation, temperature). The added complexity for neutron facilities rely in the presence of a parasitic photon component, which also needs to be characterized. Such a discrimination provided by this new type of dosimeters would be a significant improvement.
The work will be carried out in conjunction with the Université Jean Monnet de St Etienne and its partners, who recently coordinated the LUMINA project, a fiber-optic dosimeter installed on the International Space Station by Thomas Pesquet.
Simulation of the interaction of a high energy pulsed X-ray beam with a scintillator
In the context of hydrodynamic experiments, the CEA-DAM uses pulse radiography facilities which generate, in a few tens of nanoseconds, a very high dose of energetic X-ray photons, up to 20 MeV. After crossing the studied object, the X photons interact with a detector, composed of a scintillator crystal converting the X photons into visible photons, which are then detected by a CCD camera. The objective of this post-doctorate is to set up a complete simulation chain of the detector, including the emission of visible photons by the scintillator and their transport by the optical chain to the CCD camera. Initially, the candidate will have to model the different mechanisms involved in the detection chain and identify the most relevant simulation tools to reproduce them. In a second step, he (she) will be required to compare the simulation results with experimental characterization campaigns, carried out using a pulsed X source. Finally, the candidate will be able to propose, using the chosen simulation chain, possible developments for future detection chains. This work may lead to publications.
Design of a photonic Doppler velocimetry diagnostic in the mid-infrared for high velocities
This post-doctorate aims to design, using innovative technological éléments, a photonic Doppler velocimetry diagnostic operating in the mid-infrared (between 3 µm and 5 µm) to probe clouds of dense particles moving at high speeds (up to 5000 m/s), in shock physics. Schematically, two laser waves slightly offset in frequency are caused to interfere on a photodetector connected to a digitizer, one serves as a reference and the other carries the speed information of the targeted object, by Doppler effect. The development of new optical components and advanced technologies in this range of wavelengths is currently in full swing, for applications in Defense, gas detection, etc... In a first design phase, the candidate will therefore have to identify and choose the most relevant photonic components for our needs. To do this, he or she will have to optimize the overall performance of the measurement chain, using commercial simulation tools or tools developed at CEA-DAM. In a second step, he (she) will constitute the measurement chain with the selected optical elements. He (she) may also be required to participate in the design and manufacture of precision mechanical elements to ensure the interface between the elements. Depending on the state of progress, the system thus designed may be deployed on dedicated experiments. This work may lead to publications.
Integration of a first principles electronic stopping power in molecular dynamics simulations of collision cascades in semiconductors
In a radiative environment, the effects of atomic displacements can lead to the degradation of the performance of electronic and optoelectronic components. In the semiconductors constituting these components, they create defects at the atomic scale, which modify the number of free carriers and therefore alter the performance of the component.
In order to better understand the physical phenomena at the origin of these degradations, the displacement damage are well reproduced by simulation using classical molecular dynamics method. Nevertheless, a finer understanding of the influence of the electronic structure of the material on the number of defects created during the displacement cascade is necessary to have accurate simulations. For this, a model called electron-phonon EPH has been developed. The objective of this post-doctorate will be to feed this model with ab initio calculations and then to configure it in order to perform molecular dynamics simulations for several semiconductors used in current microelectronic technologies. The results obtained will be allow to better understand and improve the EPH model if necessary.
Design of a high-energy phase contrast radiography chain
As part of hydrodynamic experiments carried out at CEA-DAM, the laboratory is seeking, using pulsed X-ray imaging, to radiograph thick objects (several tens of mm), made of low-density materials (around 1 g/cm3), inside which shock waves propagate at very high speeds (several thousand m/s). For this type of application, it is necessary to use energetic X-ray sources (beyond 100 keV). Conventional X-ray imaging, which provides contrast due to variations in absorption cross sections, proves insufficient to capture the small density variations expected during the passage of the shock wave. A theoretical study recently carried out in the laboratory showed that the complementary exploitation of the information contained in the X-ray phase should enable better detectability. The aim of the post-doctorate is to provide experimental proof of concept for this theoretical study. For greater ease of implementation, the work will mainly focus on the dimensioning of a static X-ray chain, where the target is stationary and the source emits continuous X-ray radiation. Firstly, the candidate will have to characterize in detail the spectrum of the selected X-ray source as well as the response of the associated detector. In a second step, he (she) will design and have manufactured interference gratings adapted to high-energy phase measurements, as well as a representative model of the future moving objects to be characterized. Finally, the student will carry out radiographic measurements and compare them with predictive simulations. The student should have a good knowledge of radiation-matter interaction and/or physical and geometric optics. Proficiency in object-oriented programming and/or the Python and C++ languages would be a plus.