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Home : Our Work : Areas of Research : Plasma Physics

    Plasma Physics
Phone: (202) 767-5635

 

Overview

The Plasma Physics Division conducts broad theoretical and experimental programs of basic and applied research in plasma physics, laboratory discharge, and space plasmas, intense electron and ion beams and photon sources, atomic physics, pulsed power sources, laser physics, advanced spectral diagnostics, and nonlinear systems. 

The effort of the Division is concentrated on a few closely coordinated theoretical and experimental programs. Considerable emphasis is placed on large-scale numerical simulations related to plasma dynamics; ionospheric, magnetospheric, and atmospheric dynamics; nuclear weapons effects; inertial confinement fusion; atomic physics; plasma processing; nonlinear dynamics and chaos; free electron lasers and other advanced radiation sources; advanced accelerator concepts; and atmospheric laser propagation.

Core Capabilities 

  • Radiation Hydrodynamics - The principal emphasis is in the development and application of theoretical models and state-of-the-art numerical simulations combining magnetohydrodynamics, high energy density physics, atomic and radiation physics, and spectroscopy.
  • Laser Plasma - Primary areas of research include physics underpinnings of laser fusion, high-energy-gain laser-inertial- fusion target designs, experiments and simulations of laser-matter interactions at high intensity, advancing the science and technologies of high-energy krypton fluoride and argon fluoride lasers, advancing the technologies of durable high-repetition-rate pulse power and electron-beam diodes for laser pumping and other applications, laser fusion as a power source.
  • Space and Laboratory Plasmas - Space research includes theoretical, numerical, and laboratory and space experimental investigations of the dynamic behavior of the near-Earth space plasmas and radiation belts, and the modification of space plasmas for strategic effects on HF communications, satellite navigation, over-the-horizon radar, and UHF satellite communications.  Applications-oriented plasma research is performed in the production, characterization, and use of low-temperature plasmas and related technology for applications to advance capabilities across the Navy and DOD.  Pulsed-power investigations include electromagnetic launch science and technology and research on directed energy systems for the U.S. Navy.
  • Pulsed Power Physics - Experimental and theoretical research is performed to advance pulsed power driven accelerator technology in areas relevant to defense applications. Research concerns the production, transport, characterization, and modeling of pulsed plasmas and intense high-power, charged particle beams using terawatt-class hundred-kilojoule pulsed power systems that employ capacitive or inductive energy storage and advanced switching. 
  • Directed Energy Physics - Research encompasses the integration of theoretical/computational and experimental research relevant to DOD, ONR, DARPA, and DoE in the areas of ultra-high field laser physics, atmospheric propagation of intense lasers, advanced radiation and accelerator physics, laser-generated plasma-microwave interactions, and dynamics of nonlinear systems. 

Facilities Fact Sheets

  • Electra Experimental Lab Facility - Electron beam pumped laser.  [ Download PDF]
  • NIKE KrF Laser Target Facility.  [Download PDF]
  • Space Plasma Simulation Chamber.  [Download PDF]

Plasma Physics News

NEWS | Feb. 6, 2024

NRL Researcher Named Fellow of Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE)

By Mary Hamisevicz, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory Corporate Communications

WASHINGTON  –   U.S. Naval Research Laboratory research physicist Lynda E. Busse, Ph.D., was named a Fellow of SPIE, the international society for optics and photonics, for outstanding technical contributions to the development of novel infrared (IR) optical materials and photonics devices.
 
Announced December 2023, the 47 new Fellows represent high-profile leaders in academia, industry, and government, and are being honored for their technical achievements as well as for their service to SPIE and the optics and photonics community. Dr. Busse was recognized along with many of the other new Fellows at the 2024 SPIE Photonics West Conference in San Francisco, California on January 30.
 
“Being named as a Fellow of SPIE is a great honor for being recognized by my peers outside NRL and extends to all the team members I have worked with over the years to advance critical technologies impacting the Navy and DoD” said Dr. Busse.
 
Busse joined NRL in 1986 and is currently a research physicist in the Optical Materials and Devices Branch. She has been principal investigator on many programs that have led to major advances in technology and applications critical to the Navy and Department of Defense.

During her 38 years at the laboratory, she has been involved with the development and evaluation of IR materials and IR-transmitting fibers and devices, including the implementation of fibers in IR countermeasures systems for protection of military aircraft, as well as fibers and optical materials for applications in laser surgery, domes for countermeasures systems, materials for optical limiting, infrared fiber Bragg gratings, IR fiber switch development, and laser components and prototype laser systems for countermeasures and chemical sensing.
 
“Dr. Lynda Busse was elevated to the rank of SPIE Fellow for her pioneering work in the development and evaluation of infrared materials, fibers and devices in support of Naval and DoD applications and her strong involvement in the transfer of technology to industry” said Jasbinder S. Sanghera, Ph.D., Optical Materials and Devices Branch Head.
 
Busse has been involved with transfer of technology and patent licenses to industry and was recognized with the NRL Technology Transfer Award in 2010. Recently, Busse has led several programs for the development and application of “moth eye” antireflective surface structures on optics for various applications, including optics and windows for high energy lasers. Busse has published more than 165 journal papers and conference proceedings, has 25 issued and pending patents and co-authored two book chapters, and has received two NRL Alan Berman Publication awards. Since 2019 she has served as Chair of the Photonic Instrumentation Engineering Conference at SPIE Photonics West. In 2019 she was named a Senior Member of Optica (formerly the Optical Society of America).
 

About the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory

NRL is a scientific and engineering command dedicated to research that drives innovative advances for the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps from the seafloor to space and in the information domain. NRL is located in Washington, D.C. with major field sites in Stennis Space Center, Mississippi; Key West, Florida; Monterey, California, and employs approximately 3,000 civilian scientists, engineers and support personnel.
 
For more information, contact NRL Corporate Communications at (202) 480-3746 or nrlpao@nrl.navy.mil.