The ELI’s L4 ATON laser (ELI Beamlines facility) now delivers focused multi-petawatt pulses to the Plasma Physics Platform (P3) experimental station. This gives scientists access to extreme and controlled conditions for studies in laser-plasma physics and ultra-high-intensity interactions. The capability is now open to the international research community through the 9th ELI User Call.
Laser system L4 Aton
Last year, the L4 ATON achieved a peak power of 5.1 petawatts, delivering 786 joules in a pulse lasting 154 femtoseconds. Demonstration of this peak power successfully concluded the first phase of commissioning of the laser, on the path to reaching the ultimate design performance of 10 PW.
Peak power describes how quickly the laser delivers energy. However, for experiments in laser plasma physics, one of the key factors is the light intensity produced on target. The intensity does not only depend on the energy and duration of the pulse, but also on the area over which the laser energy is concentrated.
As part of a recent commissioning experiment, ELI’s team of researchers successfully focused the L4 compressed laser beam, roughly 60 × 60 cm in size, into a spot of only 3-4 microns in diameter. At a 500 joules pulse energy and 154 fs pulse duration, this produced a focal peak intensity of about 5 × 10²¹ W/cm².
“This new capability brings together ELI’s laser, experimental and engineering expertise to deliver the most energetic multi-petawatt laser pulses worldwide to an advanced experimental platform,” says Daniele Margarone, Science Director of ELI Beamlines. “Achieving a focus at these power levels requires precise control of the entire system, including diagnostics, electronic control systems and precise control of spatial quality of the laser beam. By combining these developments at P3, ELI turns technological progress into opportunities for discovery.”
Exploring Matter Under Extreme Conditions
P3 is a flexible experimental platform for laser-plasma and laser-matter interaction research. Its scientific programme covers high-energy-density physics, warm dense matter, laboratory astrophysics and ultra-high-intensity interactions. These areas examine physical conditions that only occur naturally in environments such as stars, planets and astrophysical explosions. P3 enables researchers to reproduce and study these extreme conditions in a laboratory setting.
Experimental hall E3
The platform can also support research with potential relevance beyond fundamental physics. Laser-driven compression can create new material phases and provide insight into the behaviour of materials under extreme pressure. Laser–plasma interactions can generate energetic particle beams and radiation sources for applications in imaging, materials analysis and other areas of science. The combination of high pulse energy, tight focusing and an adaptable experimental environment allows researchers to test different targets, diagnostics and interaction schemes within one platform.
Multi-PW Multi-100-J Capabilities Available through the 9th ELI User Call
The P3 platform driven by L4 ATON multi-PW pulses is among the new capabilities offered in the 9th ELI User Call which is currently open.
The submission deadline for proposals is 20 October 2026 at 12:00 CEST. Proposals undergo a feasibility assessment and international peer review. Contact the instrument scientist to discuss the feasibility of experimental concepts, technical requirements and available capabilities.
