Ταταράκης Μιχαήλ

Ταταράκης Μιχαήλ

Καθηγητής Τομέα Ηλεκτρονικής

Διευθυντής Κέντρου Φυσικής Πλάσματος και Laser

τηλ. 28210 23036, email m.tatarakis@chania.teicrete.gr

Προσωπική Ιστοσελίδα: http://www.cppl.teicrete.gr/m-tatarakis/

Education

• Physics Department, University of Crete (1990).

• Master Degree (2 year course), Physics Department, University of Crete (1993).

• PhD, Imperial College, University of London (1997).

Short CV

Dr. Michael Tatarakis, was born in 1967 at the city of Rethymon, to the island of Crete in Greece. He got his Bachelor's Degree in Physics from the Dept. of Physics of the University of Crete at Heraklion in 1990. He completed a two years course at the same University and got his Master's Degree in 1993. In 1997 he completed his Ph.D.: "Optical probing of dense z-pinch and laser produced plasmas", in England at the Physics department of Imperial College, University of London.
At present, he holds the Position of Professor at TEI of Crete, Department of Electronics. He is the Director of the West Branches (Rethymno & Chania) of TEI of Crete. He is the Establisher and Director of the Centre for Plasma Physics & Lasers (CPPL). M. Tatarakis is also a Visiting Professor at the Physics Department of Imperial College London, UK.
 
Research Activities

• Laser matter interactions: (i) Interaction of high intensity (~10^19 – 10^22 – Wcm^-2) short pulse (7-1000 fs) CPA laser pulses with solid and gas-jet targets. Study of the secondary sources produced by such interactions. Study of the magnetic field generation, the x-ray production and the generation and transport of energetic electrons and ions. Application to the Fast Ignition concept for controlled thermonuclear fusion. (ii) Study of the electron density and magnetic field distributions in laser matter interactions using optical probing diagnostics. (iii) Study of the magnetic field generated when a circularly polarised high intensity short pulse laser interacts with an underdense gas (gas jet). (iv) Measurements of propagation instabilities of high current laser produced electron beams.

• Z-pinch, X-pinch and Plasma Focus configurations and X-ray applications (i.e. MAGPIE & 100 kA generators at Imperial College). Development of sub-microns X-pinch x-ray sources. Measurements of the electron density and magnetic field distributions in wire discharges, using laser probe diagnostics. Investigation of instabilities development in wire discharges. Application to the Fast Ignition concept for fusion energy production.

• Investigation of the propagation of low intensity (<10^16 Wcm^-2) ultra-short laser pulses in optical fibers, waveguides and ionised matter.

• Development of optoelectronic devices for the diagnosis of ionised matter, the detection of γ-rays, Xrays, electron and ion beams produced from the interaction of laser pulses with semiconductors, insulators and metals.

• Development of ultra short pulse laser systems with the use of the CPA and OPCPA techniques.

• Research on the interaction of very short fs laser pulses with matter for the production of XUV harmonic radiation. Investigation of the polarisation properties of these harmonics.

• Study of the X-ray emission from matter generated using laser pulses with various wavelengths and pulse lengths.

• Influence of a high static electric field on the x-ray emission from laser target interactions.

• Investigation of the production of directional electron beams produced by multiphoton excitation of metallic surfaces.

• Development of optoelectronic devices for the direct and indirect measurement of ultra-fast electromagnetic signals (from gamma rays to infrared). Visualisation of not optical signals. 

Scholarships, Awards and Fellowships

• Merit scholarship during B.Sc (University of Crete, 1988-1990).

• Merit scholarship during M.Sc (University of Crete, 1991-1993).

• EU scholarship during Ph.D, (Imperial College, University of London, 1993-1997).

• Best contributed paper for the work entitled "Optical refractometry of a dense z-pinch plasmas" presented at the 23rd Annual Plasma Physics Conference, 1-4 April, Crief, Scotland (1996).

• Marie Curie individual research Fellowship (European Union, ERB 5004-CT98-5010, 1999-2001).

• Marie Curie Return individual research Fellowship (European Union, FU05-CT-2002-50501, 2002-2003).

• Marie Curie ToK Fellowship for the establishment of a centre of excellence (European Union, DAIX, 2005-2009).