LM thesis proposal
Supervisors: Antonio Miotello & Michele Orlandi
When a short and intense laser pulse hits a material, extreme thermodynamic conditions are reached, resulting in the ejection of mass from the irradiated region. This phenomenon is known as laser ablation. Despite the ablated mass is in general small, it leaves the target surface with extremely high exhaust velocity so that, because of momentum conservation, a recoil pressure is generated on the irradiated region. Laser ablation propulsion allows to generate thrust on an object avoiding any contact, so that it is now attracting interest for space applications. It represents a potential propulsion technique for nanosatellites, where the strict size and power limitations may not allow an on-board thruster. Moreover, it also represents a possible solution for the deorbiting of space debris: a serious threat for future missions because of the high collision probability. Material properties play a fundamental role in defining the propulsion performances obtained by laser ablation, so that there is now ongoing research in order to define the more relevant ones, and develop targets for specific applications. This thesis will consider metal oxides as possible target materials for laser ablation propulsion. The work will consist in the synthesis and structural and optical characterization. Thrust generation performances will then be measured, with the goal of defining design principles for optimized materials.
The image shows a schematic of the thrust generation process.
Starting date: March 2023
