Opportunity at National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

Atomic Physics for Plasma Spectroscopy

Location

Physical Measurement Laboratory, Quantum Measurement Division

RO# Location
50.68.41.B8094 Gaithersburg, MD

Please note: This Agency only participates in the February and August reviews.

Advisers
name email phone
Ralchenko, Yuri yuri.ralchenko@nist.gov 301.975.3210
Description

The spectroscopic diagnostics of hot plasmas with temperatures in hundreds of thousands or millions degrees is one of the primary and sometimes the only techniques to infer plasma properties. Such hot plasmas can be found in tokamaks, light sources for extreme ultraviolet lithography, solar corona, x-ray lasers, and under other terrestrial and astrophysical conditions. Any realistic approach to spectroscopic diagnostics relies on accurate understanding of physical processes that affect level populations and radiation transport in plasmas. In our research of very hot plasmas we perform precise calculations of basic atomic and collisional parameters, such as energy levels, radiative and autoionization rates, collisional cross sections, using the most advanced relativistic methods and codes. With the help of large-scale collisional-radiative models, the radiative properties of transient and/or non-Maxwellian plasmas can be reliably determined and utilized for analysis of numerous plasma characteristics. Typical examples of applications include, but are not limited to, charge exchange recombination and motional Stark effect in fusion devices, spectroscopy of electron beam ion traps (EBITs), x-ray spectroscopy of laser-produced plasmas, and diagnostics of plasmas with an x-ray free electron laser.

Keywords:

Atomic spectroscopy; Atomic structure; Highly-charged ions; Collisional-radiative modeling; Atomic collisions; Plasma spectroscopy; Atomic processes in plasmas; Plasma diagnostics;

Eligibility

Citizenship:  Open to U.S. citizens

Level:  Open to Postdoctoral applicants

Stipend
Base Stipend Travel Allotment Supplementation
$74,950.00 $3,000.00