Research
My interests are mainly laser-plasma interaction and its applications. My expertise ranges from thermal plasmas, produced by lasers focussed at intensities lower than 10^12 W/cm2, up to relativistic laser-plasma interaction with application for particle acceleration, obtained with ultrashort laser pulses at intensities higher than 10^18 W/cm2, passing through the interaction of intense high-energy lasers, devoted to Inertial Confinement Fusion and High Energy Density Matter investigation (laser intensity = 10^15-10^16 W/cm2).
- Thermal Plasmas. The activity in this field, at the moment residual, was particularly intense in the early years of research. It was mainly focussed to the characterization of Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) plasmas, to laser ablation processes and partially to nanoparticles production. In these years I acquired competences in optical spectroscopy, thermodynamics of laser plasmas and plasma-based analytical techniques.
- Inertial Confinement Fusion plasmas. The research in this field is my prevalent activity at the moment. I am interested in laser-plasma interaction in conditions relevant to Inertial Confinement Fusion, and recently to the Shock Ignition scheme. My work consists of designing, participating and leading experimental campaigns in medium- and large-scale KJ-class laser facilities (PALS, Vulcan, Gekko XII, LMJ, Omega) devoted to investigate the onset of parametric instabilities (SRS, SBS, TPD) and the generation of suprathermal electrons, which can preheat the fuel target and downgrade the compression efficiency. This activity is at the moment carried out in the framework of projects funded by the Eurofusion Consortium.
- Relativistic laser-plasma interaction. Part of my present research is devoted to investigate the physics and the applications of the ultraintense ultrashort laser pulses with plasmas. My interests is focussed mainly to interaction with solid targets, with potential applications in laser-driven light ion acceleration. Within this field, the interaction with nanostructured solid targets, as nanowires or nanotubes, deserves particular attention, since it can provide higher absorption efficiencies and the onset of plasmonics effects in the high-field regime.