A -- Ultra-Short Pulse Lasers as Next Generation Hyperspectral Radiography Sources

Ultra-Short Pulse Lasers as Next-Generation Hyperspectral Radiography Sources SN04-13. The Defense Sciences Office (DSO) of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is sponsoring a workshop discussing how to use femtosecond lasers as next-generation radiography sources. The workshop will be held March 30-31, 2004, at the Executive Conference Center in Arlington, Virginia. The workshop is intended to facilitate formation of multi-disciplinary research teams that can devise radiographic or tomographic methods that utilize bench top ultra-short pulse lasers (<100 femtoseconds [fs or 1'e10-15 s], referred to as UPLs) with peak pulse powers nearing a petawatt (1 PW, or 1'e1015 W) and intensities greater than 1'e1018 W/cm2. In support of this goal, the workshop should serve as a forum for the research and application communities to learn about state-of-the-art needs and capabilities of the other. Recent experiments have shown that at these power and intensity levels, nonlinear processes within target materials create secondary photons with a broad range of frequencies (light has been produced from below 1'e1012 [100 m] to above 1'e1018 Hz [0.1 nm]) and high brightness. Additional experiments have also shown that these lasers can be used to produce MeV-class charged particle beams (electrons, protons, and positrons) with good beam divergence and high brightness. Further, interactions with deuterated materials have been shown to produce neutrons with reasonable flux levels. All of these processes promise excellent spatial resolution when utilized as a radiation source for radiographic imaging or tomography. It is envisioned that such a flexible radiation source would be an extremely valuable tool for the two application areas listed below. On the first day of the workshop, the scientific and technical advancements necessary to realize the envisioned laser-based imaging system will be examined, including at a minimum: 1) investigation of optimal radiation and particle beam production techniques, 2) laser development conducive to the repeatable production of radiation of known frequency, bandwidth, and intensity (or particle beams of known energy, flux, and brightness), 3) optics and beam control automation to deliver the radiation or particle beam to a specified location, 4) adaptation of existing radiographic (imaging and tomographic) techniques to UPL-based radiation and particle-beam sources, 5) evaluation of multi-spectral imaging and tomography opportunities made possible by the broad range of secondary photon wavelengths produced by the UPL, 6) novel imaging and tomography techniques or the combination of multiple existing techniques, 7) automated algorithms to identify and extract relevant signals from produced images or tomographs, and 8) detector technology to support the above. The above issues are meant to be representative, not prescriptive; participants are encouraged to suggest appropriate issues beyond those listed. The second day of the workshop will examine the utility of such an imaging system towards two particular application areas: 1) non-destructive evaluation (NDE) of material damage, and 2) medical diagnostics and therapeutics. In the first case, discussion topics should include: identification of specific NDE problems where UPL-based systems would have high probability of improved utility, multi-spectral measurement techniques, and technical challenges needed to bring this concept to utility. Discussion topics in the medical diagnostics and therapeutics section will include: identification of unique medical opportunities presented by UPL-based radiation sources (such as combined imaging and radiotherapy sources); economic and support requirements for radiation sources unique to the medical field; and technical requirements for medical applications. It is envisioned that this project will combine the expertise of physicists, material scientists, signal processing and control mathematicians, electronic, optical, and system engineers, and both clinical and research medical personnel. These scientists will be drawn from industry, academia and national laboratories. The event website is http://www.eventmakeronline.com/dso/View/Index.asp?meetingid=214. The workshop registration fee is $110.00 and includes all workshop activities including a continental breakfast and working lunch. Registration cutoff is March 3, 2004, or at attendance capacity, whichever comes first. Space is very limited and it is recommended that you register early. For further administrative information, contact Lisa Roberson, (contact@example.gov) Subject: Ultra-Short Pulse Lasers as Next-Generation Hyperspectral Radiography Sources). Please refer to the Workshop in all correspondence. This announcement is NOT a request for proposals. No solicitation document is available at this time.