NRC Research and Fellowship Programs
OFFICE OF FELLOWSHIPS

RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES

  sign in | focus

RAP opportunity at Air Force Science and Technology Fellowship Program     AF STFP

Ultrashort Pulse Matter Interactions, Table-Top Accelerator, Optical and Nuclear Diagnostics

Location

Air Force Institute of Technology

opportunity location
13.50.00.C0389 AFIT, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH 454337542

Advisers

name email phone
Anil K Patnaik anil.patnaik.2@us.af.mil +1 385 635 2959

Description

As a graduate school focused on Air Force and Space Force relevant research and education, the Engineering Physics Department at Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) takes the pride of being at the forefront of DoD’s optics and optical sensing programs. At our extreme light lab, the ultrashort-pulse extreme lasers have been used to demonstrate table-top particles acceleration and nuclear (DD) fusion generating neutrons at kHz rate.

 This opportunity is inviting applications from ambitious PhDs and researchers to pursue their defense-focused research aspirtation on any of the following broad theoretical and experimental topics (but not limited to):

  • Ultrashort, extreme laser plasma interaction, table-top particle accelerator, kHz-rate nuclear fusion
  • Machine learning based optimization of mixed radiation source
  • Femtosecond laser for GHz/THz generation from superconducting ring
  • Laser induced breakdown, optical spectroscopy, nuclear materials, machine learning 

Webpage: https://www.afit.edu/BIOS/bio.cfm?facID=583

References

1. Michael Dexter, Stephen J. Hageman, Gregory K. Ngirmang, Kyle D. Frische, Joseph Snyder, Enam A. Chowdhury, and Anil K. Patnaik, Generation of kHz-rate complex-structured liquid targets for relativistic laser-plasma interactions, Applied Physics Letters 128, 251108 (2026). https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0328950

2. Nathaniel Tamminga, Scott Feister, Kyle D. Frische, Ronak Desai, Joseph Snyder, John J. Felice1, Joseph R. Smith, Chris Orban, Enam A. Chowdhury, Michael L. Dexter, and Anil K. Patnaik, Towards Intelligent Control of MeV Energy Electrons and Protons from kHz Repetition Rate Ultra-Intense Laser Interactions, APL Machine Learning 3, 026115 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0253529

3. Benjamin M. Knight, Connor M. Gautam, Colton R. Stoner, Bryan V. Egner, Joseph R. Smith, Chris M. Orban, Juan J. Manfredi, Kyle D. Frische, Michael L. Dexter, Enam A. Chowdhury, and Anil K. Patnaik, Characterization of kHz-rate, mJ-Class Laser-Driven Fusion Source with a Neutron Detection Suite, High Power Laser Science and Engineering 12, e2 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1017/hpl.2023.84

4. Ashwin P. Rao, Phillip R. Jenkins, Ryan E. Pinson, John D. Auxier, Michael B. Shattan, and Anil K. Patnaik, Machine Learning in Analytical Spectroscopy for Nuclear Diagnostics: A Review, Applied Optics 62(6), A82-A109 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1364/AO.482533

Keywords

Laser-matter interactions; Table-top particle and radiation generation; GHz/THZ generation; Optical diagnostics; Machine learning

Eligibility

citizenship

Open to U.S. citizens

level

Open to Postdoctoral and Senior applicants

Stipend

Base Stipend Travel Allotment Supplementation
$95,000.00 $5,000.00

Experience Supplement

Postdoctoral and Senior awardees will receive an appropriately higher stipend based on the number of years of experience past their PhD.

Additional Benefits

relocation

Awardees who reside more than 50 miles from their host laboratory and remain on tenure for at least six months are eligible for paid relocation to within the vicinity of their host laboratory.

health insurance

A group health insurance program is available to awardees and their qualifying dependents in the United States.

Copyright © 2026. National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
Terms of Use and Privacy Policy