EP-OPAL
EP-OPAL Facility Mid-Scale Research Infrastructure (RI-1) Design Award
This award supports the design of two 25-petawatt lasers using optical parametric chirped-pulse amplification, as well as associated experimental and diagnostics systems. The design will be guided by the most pressing scientific questions that can be answered using such a laser system in four areas of frontier research:
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- Particle Acceleration and Advanced Light Sources (PAALS)
- High-Field Physics and Quantum Electrodynamics (HFP/QED)
- Laboratory Astrophysics and Planetary Physics (LAPP)
- Laser-Driven Nuclear Physics (LDNP)
The main aims of the project are:
- Design the EP-OPAL Facility (including lasers, experimental systems, and diagnostics) to address a wide array of compelling science questions
- Design and prototype high-energy laser amplifiers with shot-cycle times of a few minutes
- Design and prototype large-optics production and characterization systems
The EP-OPAL Facility is envisioned to serve as a learning environment and a hub for diverse scientific networks, offering opportunities for fundamental research, innovation, and societal benefit.
This award will support the University of Rochester, the University of California, Irvine, the University at Buffalo, the University of Notre Dame, the University of Maryland, College Park, The Ohio State University, the University of Michigan, and Plymouth Grating Laboratory.
Join a Frontier Science Working Group
To participate in defining the needs for future experiments, fill out the EP-OPAL Users Group Interest Form
Principal Investigators
PAALS co-PI
Franklin Dollar
UC Irvine, STROBE STC
HFP/QED co-PI
Antonino Di Piazza
University of Rochester
Principal Investigator (PI)
Jon Zuegel
University of Rochester, NSF STELLAR
LAPP co-PI
Eva Zurek
University at Buffalo, CMAP PFC
LND co-PI
Ani Aprahamian
University of Notre Dame, JINA-CEEE PFC
Partners
