- Room 209, 2 Kirkby Place, Drake Circus
- +44 1752 586340
- b.king@plymouth.ac.uk
Profiles
Dr B. King
Lecturer in Theoretical Physics
School of Computing, Electronics and Mathematics (Faculty of Science and Engineering)
Role
Lecturer and researcher in theoretical physics and Final-year senior personal tutor.
My lecturing is centred around applied mathematics, in particular classical mechanics, ODEs, vector calculus and computational mathematics. I teach modules in the School of Computing, Electronics and Mathematics, and in the School of Mechanical and Marine Engineering.
My research is focused on strong-field QED. This involves the study of light and charged particles in extremely intense electromagnetic fields such as one would find in the most intense laser pulses or in the very strong fields of magnetised neutron stars.
Qualifications
Doktor der Naturwissenschaften (Dr. rer. nat.)
Universität Heidelberg (2010)
Master in Science: Physics with Theoretical Physics
Imperial College London (2006)
Teaching interests
MATH3606 - Classical and Quantum Mechanics (Module Leader)
This module introduces advanced classical mechanics and the key ideas of quantum mechanics to students with a mathematics background. An overarching theme will be the key role of symmetry, both for classical motion and quantum behaviour.
MATH3628 - Maths Project (Supervisor)
A year-long, 40-credit project module, in which students work one-to-one with a member of staff to gain an in-depth understanding in a mathematical area of their interest. Previous projects supervised include: i) Schwarzschild Black Holes; ii) Henon-Heiles nonlinear dynamics and chaos; iii) Vacuum energy and the Casimir Effect in (1+1)D; iv) Dynamical symmetries in Kepler orbits and the Hydrogen atom
MATH2604 - Mathematical Methods and Applications (Module Leader)
Vector calculus is extended to higher dimensions and applied to a range of important scientific problems primarily from classical mechanics and cosmology. Differential and integral calculus is applied to the solution of differential equations and the orthogonal functions bases are constructed. The crucial mathematical concepts of integral transforms (Fourier and Laplace) and Fourier series are introduced.
MATH257 - Computer Aided Mathematics (Module Leader)
Students will be taught advanced mathematical techniques and their application using the MATLAB computer software package to solve engineering mathematics problems. The module will also introduce the students to the theoretical fundamentals of finite element analysis.
MATH2604 - Mathematical Methods and Applications (Module Leader)
Vector calculus is extended to higher dimensions and applied to a range of important scientific problems primarily from classical mechanics and cosmology. Differential and integral calculus is applied to the solution of differential equations and the orthogonal functions bases are constructed. The crucial mathematical concepts of integral transforms (Fourier and Laplace) and Fourier series are introduced.
MATH257 - Computer Aided Mathematics (Module Leader)
Students will be taught advanced mathematical techniques and their application using the MATLAB computer software package to solve engineering mathematics problems. The module will also introduce the students to the theoretical fundamentals of finite element analysis.
Research interests
Strong-field Quantum Electrodynamics:
- Pair-creation and nonlinear Compton scattering in laser backgrounds
- Electromagnetic cascades in external fields
- Real photon-photon scattering
- Methodologies for computational simulation
When electromagnetic fields become very strong, calculations become difficult as the standard method of using perturbation theory can no longer be used and the processes are therefore more difficult to describe. However it also means that new and interesting phenomena can emerge, such as light-by-light scattering, which is forbidden classically. It is also thought that studying strong-field processes can help solve difficult outstanding problems in QCD (Quantum Chromodynamics) and Cosmology. The next generation of forthcoming laser facilities are hoped to be able to finally probe strong-field QED processes.
Research Grants
2018-2020 Joint-PI: EPSRC Standard Grant, Grant No: EP/S010319/1 £450,000
2016-2018 PI: EPSRC First Grant Scheme, Grant No: EP/P005217/1 £125,000
2016 PI: Royal Society International Exchange Scheme 2015/R £2,000
2016 PI: Royal Society International Exchange Scheme 2015/R £2,000
A list of my published research can be found at the following pages:
ArXiv
Google Scholar Citations
Inspire.
Key publications are highlighted
Journals
Articles
2019
'Extended locally constant field approximation for nonlinear Compton scattering'
Physical Review A
99,
(4)
, DOI
PEARL
2019
'Light scalars: Coherent nonlinear Thomson scattering and detection'
Physical Review D
99,
(3)
, DOI
PEARL
2018
'ALP production through non-linear Compton scattering in intense fields'
The European Physical Journal C - Particles and Fields
Publisher Site
, DOI
PEARL
2018
'Effect of interference on the trident process in a constant crossed field'
Physical Review D
98,
(1)
, DOI
2018
'Electron-seeded ALP production and ALP decay in an oscillating electromagnetic field'
Physics Letters B
782,
737-743
, DOI
PEARL
2017
'On beam models and their paraxial approximation'
Laser Physics
28,
(1)
015003-015003
, DOI
PEARL
2016
'Axion-like particle production in a laser-induced dynamical spacetime'
arXiv preprint arXiv:1612.07743
2016
'Beyond Volkov: Solving the Second-Order Klein-Gordon Equation'
arXiv preprint arXiv:1612.05436
2016
'Classical and quantum dynamics of a charged scalar particle in a background of two counterpropagating plane waves'
Physical Review D
94,
125010-125010
2016
'Classical and quantum particle dynamics in univariate background fields'
Physical Review D
94,
065039-065039
PEARL
2016
'Measuring vacuum polarization with high-power lasers'
High Power Laser Science and Engineering
4,
e5-e5
PEARL
2016
'Vacuum birefringence in high-energy laser-electron collisions'
Physical Review A
94,
062102-062102
PEARL
2016
'Vacuum high-harmonic generation and electromagnetic shock'
Journal of Plasma Physics
82,
655820202-655820202
2015
'APS Members'
Phys. Rev. A
92,
032115-032115
2015
'Double Compton scattering in a constant crossed field'
Physical Review A
91,
033415-033415
2015
'Testing numerical implementations of strong-field electrodynamics'
Physical Review A
91,
013822-013822
PEARL
2015
'Vacuum high-harmonic generation in the shock regime'
Physical Review A
92,
032115-032115
2014
'Interaction of photons traversing a slowly varying electromagnetic background'
Physical Review D
90,
065018-065018
2014
'Investigating the QED vacuum with ultra-intense laser fields'
The European Physical Journal Special Topics
223,
1063-1068
2013
'Erratum: Pair production in a plane wave by thermal background photons [Phys. Rev. D86, 125007 (2012)]'
Physical Review D
87,
(6)
, DOI
2013
'Erratum: Pair production in a plane wave by thermal background photons [Phys. Rev. D 86, 125007 (2012)]'
Physical Review D
87,
069905-069905
2013
'Photon polarization in electron-seeded pair-creation cascades'
Physical Review A
87,
042117-042117
2013
'PoS (Photon 2013) 037 Light-by-light scattering in intense lasers'
2013
'Trident pair production in a constant crossed field'
Physical Review D
88,
013005-013005
2012
'Pair production in a plane wave by thermal background photons'
Physical Review D
86,
(12)
, DOI
2012
'Biomarkers'
Annals of Oncology
23,
ix73-ix94
2012
'Pair production in a plane wave by thermal background photons'
Physical Review D
86,
125007-125007
2012
'Photon–photon scattering in collisions of intense laser pulses'
New Journal of Physics
14,
103002-103002
2010
'A matterless double slit'
Nature Photonics
4,
92-94
2010
'Double-slit vacuum polarization effects in ultraintense laser fields'
Physical Review A
82,
032114-032114
2010
'Nat. Photonics 4 92 King B, di Piazza A and Keitel Phys CH 2010'
Phys. Rev. A
82,
032114-032114
0
'Axion-like-particle decay in strong electromagnetic backgrounds'
0
'Testing strong-field CED and QED with intense laser fields'
Conference Papers
2016
'Vacuum high-harmonic generation in the shock regime and photon-photon scattering dynamics'
2015
'Double Compton scattering in a constant crossed field and approximations used in simulation'
IOP Publishing
012053-012053
2013
'Light-by-light scattering in intense lasers'
37-37
2013
'Pair production in a plane wave due to a thermal background'
IOP Publishing
012016-012016
2010
'Strong-field QED in intense laser fields'
International Society for Optics and Photonics
799422-799422
Other Publications
0
APS Members.
0
0
0
On internal gravity waves.
University of Manchester
0
0
0
Vacuum polarisation effects in intense laser fields.
0
0
Reports & invited lectures
30/04/2019 "Vacuum birefringence with x-rays", Vacuum Fluctuations at Nanoscale and Gravitation: theory and experiments, Sardinia, Italy
16/04/2019 "Massive pseudoscalar production at LUXE", DESY, Germany
09/04/2019 "Locally Constant Field Approximation for High-Intensity QED", HI-Jena, Jena, Germany
22/08/2018 "Massive scalar and pseudoscalar production in electron-laser collisions", SQED Workshop, DESY, Germany
17/07/2018 "Photon-photon scattering in the collision of three laser pulses" LPHYS '18, Nottingham, UK
17/07/2018 "Trident process in a constant crossed field" LPHYS '18, Nottingham, UK
09/07/2018 "QED Overview (HIBEF Workshop)" HZDR, Dresden, Germany
11/04/2018 "Measuring vacuum polarisation using high power lasers" HPLSE2018, Suzhou, China
29/11/2017 "Laser-based QED in intense backgrounds: ethos and recent developments" Imperial College London, UK
08/09/2017 "Vacuum birefringence in high-energy laser-electron collisions", ExHILP 2017, Lisbon, Portugal
15/07/2017 "The Intensity Frontier and High Power Lasers", NUDT, Changsha, China
12/07/2017 "The Intensity Frontier and High Power Lasers", SIOM, Shanghai, China
10/07/2017 "Strong-field QED in Intense lasers (3 lectures)", NUDT, HEDP Summer School, Changsha, China20/04/2017 "Vacuum birefringence in high-energy laser-electron collisions", LNPC '17, Yokohama, Japan
21/12/2016 "Vacuum birefringence in high-energy laser-electron collisions", UK High Power Laser Christmas Meeting, Abingdon, UK
16/11/2016 "Strong-Field QED in High-Power Lasers", Helmholtz Institute, Jena, Germany
13/07/2016 "Beyond Volkov: Solving the Second-Order Klein-Gordon Equation", LPHYS' 16, Yerevan, Armenia
30/05/2016 "Strong laser particle physics", CARDC (Chinese Aerodynamic Research and Development Center), Mianyang, China
16/12/2015 "Shock wave and high harmonic generationin the vacuum plasma", UK High Power Laser Christmas Meeting, Abingdon, UK
25/11/2015 "Laser-based strong-field QED (under construction)", Plasma Seminar, Imperial College London, UK
14/09/2015 "High intensity lasers & strong-field QED", Oxcheds seminar, AWE, UK
24/08/2015 "Vacuum high-harmonic generation in the shock regime and photon-photon scattering dynamics", LPHYS' 15, Shanghai, China
17/08/2015 "High intensity lasers & strong-field QED", CAEP, Mianyang, China
22/07/2015 "Vacuum high harmonic generation in the shock regime", EXHILP 15, Heidelberg, Germany
08/05/2015 "What's so anomalous about anomalous x-ray pulsars?", Plymouth Astronomical Society, Plymouth
27/04/2015 "Strong-field QED & high intensity lasers", Atomic and Laser Physics Seminar, University of Oxford, UK
22/04/2015 "Vacuum high harmonic generation in the shock regime", Theoretical Physics Seminar, Plymouth University, UK
15/04/2015 "Vacuum high harmonic generation in the shock regime", Chalmers, Gothenburg, Sweden