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World's Most Powerful Laser:  The Extreme Light Infrastructure-Nuclear Physics (ELI-NP) in Romania

Jun 19, 2019

"Hats off to Thales and Romania. Congratulations and thank you, because now the science community will be able to make use of this truly remarkable instrument," says Professor Gérard Mourou, winner of the 2018 Nobel Prize in Physics and initiator of the ELI infrastructure.

On March 7, 2019, the High Power Laser (HPLS) project at the Extreme Light Infrastructure - Nuclear Physics Center, (ELI-NP), built at Magurele, Romania, at the Institute for Physics and Nuclear Engineering – Horia Hulubei (IFIN-HH), developed by Thales and ELI-NP, reached the power of 10 PetaWatts, which is the new world record for the World's Most Powerful Laser, according to the World Record Academy.

MAGURELE, Ilfov, Romania -- OnMarch 7, 2019,the High Power Laser (HPLS) project at the Extreme Light Infrastructure - Nuclear Physics Center, (ELI-NP), built at Magurele, Romania, at the Institute for Physics and Nuclear Engineering – Horia Hulubei (IFIN-HH), developed by Thales and ELI-NP ,reached the power of 10 PetaWatts, which is the new world record for the World's Most Powerful Laser , according to the World Record Academy.

"After demonstration of a beam delivering pulses of 7 PW for more than 4 hours continuously, the Thales system generated its first pulses with a record power level of 10 PW on 7 March 2019. This means that means that the Romanian National Institute of Physics and Nuclear Engineering (IFIN-HH) and ELI-NP now have the most powerful laser in the world," the Laser Focus World reports.

The ELI-NP is the most advanced research infrastructure in the world that focuses on the study of photo-nuclear physics and its applications, consisting of a high-intensity laser consisting of two lasers with ultra-short pulses of 10PW and the brightest beam adjustable gamma rays.

Nobel Prize-winner for Physics, Professor Gerard Mourou recently highlighted the major role that the construction of this system in Romania has contributed to this award.

The Romanian component of the ELI Project focuses on the field of nuclear physics (ELI-NP) and is being built at Magurele,10 kilometers South from downtown Bucharest,at Horia Hulubei National Institute for Physics and Nuclear Engineering (IFIN-HH).

The system, installed at the ELI-NP Center in September 2016, completed the final testing procedure, currently reaching the projected power of 10 PW, the world's most powerful laser, the Romanian Governmen t says.

"The Romanian Government supported the implementation of this complex project, the Extreme Light Infrastructure (ELI), one of the most important European research facilities.

The Government of Romania, through the Ministry of Research and Innovation, closely followed the implementation of the ELI-NP project, providing all the necessary support for the optimal completion of the project, so that all the undertaken objectives are met, the official press releasesays.

ELI-NP was selected by the most important scientific committee in the field of Nuclear Physics in Europe – NuPECC – in the Long Term Plan of Nuclear Physics in Europe as major infrastructure.

"We have every reason to take pride in the fact that Romanian scientists, alongside international specialists, succeeded in building the world's most powerful laser. The benefits of implementing the Extreme Light Infrastructure project are multiple. Specialists have taken a huge step in seeking practical answers in important areas such as replacing costly energy technologies or research of revolutionary methods in the medical field. I congratulate the ELI-NP team of researchers and I assure them of the Government’s full support, " stated Prime Minister Viorica Dăncilă.

On March 7, 2019, the High Power Laser (HPLS) project at the Extreme Light Infrastructure - Nuclear Physics Center, (ELI-NP), built at Magurele, Romania, at the Institute for Physics and Nuclear Engineering – Horia Hulubei (IFIN-HH), developed by Thales and ELI-NP, reached the power of 10 PetaWatts, which is the new world record for the World's Most Powerful Laser, according to the World Record Academy.

The ELI-NP laser at Magurele is the most powerful of its kind in the world and it could help in areas like discovering new radioactive isotopes to treat cancer or test materials used in space missions.

Extreme Light Infrastructure-Nuclear Physics (ELI-NP) is the world’s largest research project on lasers and is part of a pan-European project. The total cost of the Magurele laser project is 356.2 million euros. The project is co-financed by European funds with 311 million euros.

"The land for a massive expansion of the project in Magurele is available for development. According to a PwC report, the total land surface in this location stands at 4,500 hectares, while the nearby area that could be explored for the Laser Valley project could reach 20,000 hectares. The main challenge is the fragmented land in the ELI-NP area and its ownership structure," The Business Review reports.

"10 PW is a tenfold leap from the power level demonstrated at the start of the project' says professor Gérard Mourou, winner of the 2018 Nobel Prize in Physics and initiator of the ELI infrastructure.

"It's been a huge challenge for Thales and Romania — on a par with a lunar landing, where failure is not an option. I've hardly been able to catch my breath in the last two years. Hats off to Thalesand Romania. Congratulations and thank you, because now the science community will be able to make use of this truly remarkable instrument," saysProfessor Gérard Mourou, winner of the 2018 Nobel Prize in Physics and initiator of the ELI infrastructure.

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