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Scientific advances depend on new ideas and the people who drive them forward. Dr Martin Rehwald is one of these talented young scientists. He was awarded this year’s Young Scientist Award for Accelerator Physics of the German Physical Society (DPG) for his outstanding contributions to laser plasma acceleration. Pfeiffer Vacuum+Fab Solutions supports the award as a long-standing sponsor of young scientists.
The DPG recognizes the outstanding achievements of young researchers in their early post-doctoral career phase with the award. Dr Martin Rehwald is being honored for his pioneering work on laser plasma acceleration of proton pulses, a field of research regarded as a key technology for compact accelerator sources.
Cryogenic hydrogen jets are a sophisticated and innovative approach at the heart of his research. These fine jets of heavily cooled, solidified hydrogen act as a continuous target for laser pulses in vacuum. They open up new possibilities where solid targets hit their limits, through high reproducibility, well-defined interaction conditions and flexible adjustment of material density.
Dr Martin Rehwald has succeeded in significantly advancing this technology. By precisely controlling the density profiles of the cryogenic hydrogen jets, he discovered new, particularly efficient proton acceleration regimes. His work not only contributes to the physical understanding of laser-driven ion acceleration. It also demonstrates specific ways to better control proton beams and make more compact accelerator sources a reality.
The scientific relevance goes far beyond the laboratory, as the results are important for future plasma-based accelerator concepts, for basic and fusion research as well as for the development of secondary radiation sources such as neutron sources. Applications in medicine will also become closer to reality in the future.
"Behind every technological innovation are people with curiosity, pioneering spirit and the courage to break new ground," explains Andreas Schopphoff, Head of Market Segment R&D at Pfeiffer Vacuum+Fab Solutions. "With our commitment to the DPG Young Scientist Award, we want to promote and shine a spotlight on these talented scientists."
As a world-leading provider of high and ultra-high vacuum technology, Pfeiffer Vacuum+Fab Solutions is committed to promoting young scientists as an integral part of its social responsibility. The company’s solutions are used in cutting-edge research worldwide, helping to enable experiments at the frontiers of knowledge. "This is only possible thanks to the commitment and vision of young researchers such as Dr Martin Rehwald," says Andreas Schopphoff.
