Charlotte Barbier
Research Mechanical Engineer
Spallation Neutron Source
Charlotte Barbier is a Research Mechanical Engineer at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. She enjoys skiing, playing guitar, and spending time with her two children. Charlotte has worked at the lab since 2009.
Mainly I work with the target, making sure the mercury is flowing properly throughout the system. When the proton beam hits the mercury target, it deposits a lot of heat and sends out a shock wave as powerful as a stick of dynamite. We inject little bubbles of helium into the target so it can absorb the energy more efficiently. This technique greatly reduces the amount of stress the target experiences as it operates.”
“It’s critical for us to have a reliable, steady stream of neutrons. Whenever I help target engineers design and implement better systems, I’m contributing to that objective in a meaningful way, and that’s really rewarding. My work is important to facilitate the kinds of incredible science we do here at the Neutron Sciences Directorate.”
–Charlotte Barbier
