Dr Chris Thornton has been awarded a 3-year UKRI-EPSRC Innovation Fellowship to develop laser-driven x-ray techniques for advanced micro-CT imaging and x-ray absorption spectroscopy. The fellowship is in partnership with Johnson Matthey (JM), Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) and Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG), with Christopher based at the CLF.
His project vision is to develop technology to offer compact, reliable, robust laser products to be employed by industrial end-users on their own sites to characterise complex 3D objects, helping to bridge the gap between industry and academic research.
There are two main areas of research that are of interest: element identification and time-resolved tomographic mapping of internal structures. CLF's lasers can offer an industrial solution to both of these problems. In partnership with the MTC, WMG and JM, Chris will conduct research at the CLF and undertake knowledge transfer placements with the partners to define what issues they face and design specific laser-based solutions around the problems that he finds with a view to translation of the technology into industrial environments.
