Lead Institutions: Friedrich‑Schiller‑Universität Jena ~ Institut Polytechnique de Paris ~ ELI‑ERIC.
Why it matters: Focus on high‑repetition‑rate & high‑intensity laser systems required for inertial fusion energy sources.
Objectives & Activities
- A 5‑day bootcamp at University of Jena, in Jena, Germany, indicative Jan 2026.
- A 5‑day bootcamp at IPP, in Paris, France, indicative Apr 2026.
- A10‑day IP at ELI-ERIC, in Prague, Czech Republic, indicative Jul 2026.
- Educational material development
Laser Technology
Modern laser technology has advanced along two intertwined axes:
- Peak power – reaching petawatt (10¹⁵ W) levels through chirped‑pulse amplification (CPA) and optical parametric CPA. These ultra‑intense pulses (>10²¹ W cm⁻²) drive relativistic laser‑plasma interactions, spawning secondary beams of electrons, ions, neutrons and bright x‑rays.
- Average power & repetition rate – diode‑pumped solid‑state (DPSS) and thin‑disk architectures now deliver kilowatt‑class average powers at kHz repetition, enabling high‑throughput industrial processes and, critically, the high‑shot‑rate operation required for fusion energy drivers.
For Inertial Fusion Energy (IFE), these two axes must converge: petawatt‑scale peak power delivered at hertz‑level repetition with >10 % wall‑plug efficiency. Achieving that goal demands innovations spanning gain media, thermal management, pulse cleaning, adaptive optics, target injection and debris mitigation