Biography
Dr. Yuanfeng Shi recently completed his DPhil in Atomic and Laser Physics at Oxford, where his research focused on the ultrafast collisional dynamics of non-thermal electrons in dense plasmas using X-ray Free Electron Lasers (XFELs). His doctoral work produced some of the first direct measurements of electron relaxation times in solid-density matter. Dr. Shi is currently applying his expertise in high-energy-density science to a new domain within Oxford Engineering, investigating hydrodynamics instabilities, specifically Laser-Shock-induced Richtmyer-Meshkov (RMI) and Rayleigh-Taylor (RTI) instabilities.
Research Interests
- Shock Physics
- Atomic Physics
- Plasms Physics
- High Energy Density Physics
Current Research Project
Investigation of Richtmyer-Meshkov Instability using X-ray Phase Contrast Imaging via intense X-ray Free Electron Lasers pulses:
This project focuses on studying the dynamics of shock-driven interfacial instabilities that arise when a perturbed material interface is impulsively accelerated by a laser-induced shock. By employing ultrashort, high-brilliance XFEL pulses as a diagnostic probe, XPCI provides high spatial and temporal resolution imaging of density gradients and interface morphology. The aim is to track the evolution of material interfaces in real time, quantify the growth of perturbations, and improve understanding of mixing processes under extreme conditions relevant to high-energy-density physics.
