Biography

Dr. Schmitt received his PhD from UCLA and is currently a staff member in the Plasma Theory and Applications Group of Computational Physics Division at LANL. Mark has a broad background in simulation of laser related applications including FELs, ICF laser driven implosions, laser-plasma instabilities, short-pulse laser ion generation, laser-induced plasma discharge channels, laser-driven flyer plates, laser propagation and laser remote sensing. He discovered theoretically the even-harmonic gain instability in plane-polarized FELs and has extensive knowledge simulating FEL devices. Mark maintains the FEL simulation code FELEX. He is the main rad-hydro designer for the Revolver direct-drive triple-shell ICF ignition concept currently under development. He has held many technical leadership roles for multi-disciplinary teams including projects to design high-power FELs, laser remote sensing systems, and ICF implosion experiments at both the Omega and NIF laser facilities. His ICF team executed the first direct-drive plastic capsule implosions on NIF and were the first to obtain 2D backlit images of NIF implosions. Mark has mentored many students and post-docs during his tenure at LANL. He is a member of the APS and Eta Kappa Nu Honor Society and is a Senior Member of the IEEE. He has well over 100 publications.