Julian Picard

Biography

Education & Experience

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) 2016-Present
PhD Candidate in Physics

Eagle Harbor Technologies, Inc. 2012-2016
Research Engineer

University of Washington 2009-2013
Bachelors of Science in Physics, Minor in Mathematics
Bachelors of Arts in Art History

Scholarships/Awards

Best Student Paper Award, 2019 Pulse Power & Plasma Science Conference in Orlando, FL

First Year Graduate Fellowship, MIT Physics Department (2016-2017)

De Cillia Graduating with Excellence Award in Art History (2013)

Washington NASA Space Grant (WNSG) Scholarship Recipient (2009 - 2013)

Washington Scholars Tuition Scholarship Recipient (2009 - 2013)

National Merit Scholarship Recipient (2009 - 2013)

Teaching

Student Instructor (2010-2013), Undergraduate Honors Physics, University of Washington

Patents

High Voltage Pre-Pulsing Co-inventor with Eagle Harbor Technologies
Pub. Number: US 2017/0366173
Filed June 20, 2017; Published December 21, 2017

Low Pressure Dielectric Barrier Discharge Plasma Thruster Co-inventor with Eagle Harbor Technologies
Pub. Number: US 2016/0327029
Filed May 4, 2015; Published November 10, 2016

Research

Plasma Science and Fusion Center (PSFC), MIT 2016-Present
Graduate Advisor: Dr. Richard Temkin
Generation of short (ns), high-power (MW-GW) RF pulses in X-band and W-band in support of next-generation particle accelerator concepts. Recent work has included the development of a laser-driven semiconductor switch for generating nanosecond pulses from the 110 GHz Megawatt gyrotron. First observation of increased semiconductor reflection efficiency when operated at megawatt level RF power. Future work will include development of power extractors for two-beam wakefield accelerators, in collaboration with the Argonne Wakefield Accelerator at Argonne National Lab.

Eagle Harbor Technologies, Seattle, WA 2012-2016
Supervisors: Dr. Timothy Ziemba, Dr. Kenneth E. Miller
Worked as a research engineer to design cutting-edge pulsed power technology as part of a research team, funded under research grants from NASA, DOE, and DOD. Developed circuitry and fundamental circuit board geometries for custom high-power nanosecond pulse generators and plasma diagnostics. 

Advanced Propulsion Lab, University of Washington 2010-2011
Advisors: Dr. Robert Winglee, Dr. James Prager
Conducted experimental research into novel helicon plasma thruster designs, driving ‘whistler waves’ in inductively-coupled plasmas. Designed and constructed plasma diagnostic instruments, including B-Dot and Langmuir probes.

Publications & Presentations

Publications

Julian F. Picard, Samuel C. Schaub, Guy Rosenzweig, Jacob C. Stephens, Michael A. Shapiro, and Richard J. Temkin, “Laser-driven semiconductor switch for generating nanosecond pulses from a megawatt gyrotron”, Applied Physics Letters, 114, 2019. https://doi-org.ezproxy.canberra.edu.au/10.1063/1.5093639 (Editor's Pick)

R.A. Tinguely, A. Rosenthal, R. Simpson, S.B. Ballinger, A.J. Creely, S. Frank, A.Q. Kuang, B.L. Linehan, W. McCarthy, L.M. Milanese, K.J. Montes, T. Mouratidis, J.F. Picard, P. Rodriguez-Fernandez, A.J. Sandberg, F. Sciortino, E.A. Tolman, M. Zhou, B.N. Sorbom, Z.S. Hartwig, A.E. White, Neutron diagnostics for the physics of a high-field, compact, Q ≥ 1 tokamak, Fusion Engineering and Design, 143, 2019, Pages 212-225

S.V. Kutsaev, B. Jacobson, A.Yu. Smirnov, T. Campese, V.A. Dolgashev, V. Goncharik, M. Harrison, A. Murokh, E. Nanni, J. Picard, M. Ruelas, and S.C. Schaub, Nanosecond rf-Power Switch for Gyrotron-Driven Millimeter-Wave Accelerators, Phys. Rev. Applied 11, 2019, 034052 (Editor’s Suggestion)

Presentations/Posters:

Julian Picard, Samuel Schaub, Jacob Stephens, Guy Rosenzweig, Michael Shapiro, Richard Temkin, “Laser-Driven Semiconductor Switch for Generating Nanosecond Pulses from a Megawatt Gyrotron”, Pulse Power & Plasma Science Conference, Orlando, FL, 2019 (Best Student Paper Award)

J. Picard, J. Prager, T. Ziemba, K. E. Miller, A. Hashim, “Spectroscopic Investigation of a Dielectric Barrier Discharge Over a Wide Range of Pulse Parameters”, APS Gaseous Electronics Conference, Honolulu, HI, 2015

KE Miller, TM Ziemba, JR Prager, I Slobodov, J Picard, “Isolated, high voltage arbitrary pulse generator”, IEEE International Conference on Plasma Science (ICOPS), Banff, Alberta, 2016