Hi I'm Derek, I help run experiments on the Scarlet laser. My area of research is laser-based particle acceleration using ultra-short pulse lasers. Energetic beams of particles are useful for a variety of experimental and industrial applications from non-destructive probing of dense materials to radiotherapy. Scarlet is perhaps most known for our use of thin (<1 um) liquid crystal (LC) films. LC is useful for on laser systems both as plasma mirrors to increase the pulse contrast of your beam and as rapid in-situ formation of targets. My motto is 'if it ain't broke don't break it'.