Description
ELI ALPS provides a unique infrastructure for investigating laser–matter interactions at relativistic intensities through the combination of the UltraFast Optics (UFO) experimental platform and the Surface High Harmonic Generation High-Field (SHHG-HF) beamline driven by the High-Field Petawatt (HF-PW) laser system. These instruments enable studies of dense plasma dynamics, secondary radiation generation, and ultrafast processes occurring under extreme electromagnetic fields.
The UFO endstation is designed for experiments with solid, liquid, gas, and hybrid targets in both reflection and transmission geometries. Its flexible configuration supports investigations of relativistic laser–plasma interactions, energetic particle generation, plasma diagnostics, and pump–probe experiments. The platform is also compatible with advanced target concepts, including nanostructured and user-developed targets, providing broad opportunities for high-energy-density physics research.
Complementing UFO, the SHHG-HF-PW beamline exploits relativistic surface high harmonic generation (SHHG) driven by petawatt-class laser pulses to produce intense extreme-ultraviolet and attosecond radiation. The beamline is optimized for studying plasma optics, attosecond pulse generation, high-order harmonic emission, and ultrafast energy transport in dense matter. The design and scientific objectives of the SHHG beamlines are described in [1].
Together, UFO and SHHG-HF-PW form a versatile platform for exploring the transition from strong-field to relativistic interaction regimes. Beyond attosecond science, these capabilities are highly relevant for inertial confinement fusion (ICF) research, enabling studies of laser energy coupling, hot-electron generation, plasma instabilities, and transport phenomena in dense plasmas. As such, ELI ALPS provides an important testbed for both fundamental plasma physics and future fusion-energy applications.
[1] S. Mondal et al., “Surface plasma attosource beamlines at ELI-ALPS,” J. Opt. Soc. Am. B 35, A93–A102 (2018), DOI: 10.1364/JOSAB.35.000A93.
