Relativistic Laser Plasma Theory

The aim of our research group, HI Jena Computational High Intensity Plasma Science (HIχPS), is to advance the theoretical understanding of relativistic laser plasmas under extreme conditions. In our research we are especially interested in quantum processes, such as hard-photon emission, electron-positron pair production and QED cascades. These phenomena occur in ultra-relativistic laser pulses and can affect the collecitve plasma dynamics at extreme light intensities, where one enters the new field of radiation-dominated and QED-plasma physics. We are also actively investigating laser-plasma based particle acceleration, X- and gamma-ray generation, and attosecond physics phenomena. By using state-of-the art theoretical modelling, numerical methods, modern programming techniques and hardware architectures we are able to make precise predictions for this exciting new regime of light-matter-interaction.