NERSC Initiative for Scientific Exploration (NISE) 2010 Awards

Light propagation in nanophotonics structures designed for high-brightness photocathodes

Karoly Nemeth and Katherine Harkay, Argonne National Lab

Associated NERSC Project: Solid state physics calculations for the modeling and design of low transverse emittance photocathodes (m878), Principal Investigator: Katherine Harkay

"This research will be based on our recent paper, K. Kemeth, K.C. Harkay, et.al, Physical Review Letters 104, 046801 (2010), which reflects the resent status of our research on the design and development of high-brightness photocathodes for applications in future x-ray sources.

We propose to model the propagation of light in the silver nanorod/nanohole array, described in our above mentioned paper, using the VORPAL code. It is expected that this simulation will lead to improved, more robust design of our photocathode, in which nanophotonics processes help the generation of high brightness electron beams.

The silver nanorods/nanoholes will be modelled as structures of very high density nanoarchitectured plasma, with rigid nanoarchitechtured positive continuum background, similar to structured-density electron-sources of laser-plasma simulations. Geometric effects of the nanoarchitecture and intensity/incidence-angle/polarization dependence of the applied laser on the properties of produced electrons will be investigated.

The goal of this research is a practical nanostructure design that can be realized with well established nanotechnology techniques and can lead to future robust high brightness electron sources.