The University of Michigan’s ZEUS laser facility has achieved a record-breaking peak power of 2 petawatts, surpassing all other lasers in the US. This milestone marks the beginning of experiments that will push the boundaries of high-intensity laser science.
ZEUS is a user-friendly facility that welcomes research teams from across the country and around the world. The laser can deliver compressed pulses as brief as 20 femtoseconds, enabling a wide range of cutting-edge experiments. With its advanced technologies, including a double chirped pulse amplifier and programmable acousto-optic filters, ZEUS is poised to advance fields such as medicine, national security, materials science, astrophysics, plasma science, and quantum physics.
The facility’s ability to split its beam allows it to achieve intensities up to a million times greater than a single beam alone, enabling the study of extreme phenomena. Researchers are already conducting experiments at 2 petawatts, including work on solid targets, ion acceleration, laser wakefield acceleration, and the creation of matter-antimatter pairs from empty space.
The ZEUS system is primarily built from commercial components and incorporates advanced technologies to preserve precise bandwidth and phase required for ultrashort, high-power pulses. The facility’s upgraded version will achieve 3 petawatts with a new titanium-doped sapphire crystal, taking the laser to new heights of power and precision.
ZEUS has already hosted 11 experiments involving 58 researchers from 22 institutions, including international participants. The facility’s user model is similar to that of other major research centers, such as SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory’s LCLS-II, and it is attracting global collaborations.
The potential benefits of ZEUS extend far beyond physics, impacting advancements in healthcare, technology, and economic development. Fundamental research conducted at the NSF ZEUS facility has many possible applications, including better imaging methods for soft tissues and advancing the technology used to treat cancer and other diseases.
Source: https://www.techspot.com/news/107997-america-most-powerful-laser-reaches-2-petawatts-raising.html