“This is just a first step towards the generation of energetic ions using the high repetition rate capability of the HAPLS laser, nevertheless I already consider it a great achievement by the entire ELI team,” commented Daniele Margarone, Leader of the ELIMAIA (ELI Multidisciplinary Applications of laser-Ion Acceleration) team.

Although the laser energy on target was only 100 mJ, the estimated intensity was well above 10¹⁸ W/cm². Such relativistic laser intensities have enabled the acceleration of protons and carbon ions from thin solid targets, as well as electrons from a gas target, thus demonstrating the focusability and compression of the HAPLS laser beam on target.

“We are just warming up our “engines” and have not started the race yet, nevertheless we are prepared to operate at high repetition rate and, in a few weeks, we plan to work at 1-Joule laser energy level, typical of several facilities in the sector. I am very pleased, since we were able to accelerate electrons by Laser-Wakefield (LWF) after just a few dozen shots using only 100-mJ laser energy on target, also considering the novelty of such an experimental apparatus. At one point in the experiment I realized the importance of different ELI Beamlines teams working in unison,” said Tadzio Levato, Leader of the HELL (High-energy Electrons by Laser Light) team.

In a typical LWF experiment a short laser pulse propagates into plasma generated from a gas target, and based on the “matching conditions” between the laser pulse parameters and the target, different physical effects take place, thus cooperation between different experimental teams becomes critical to accurately initiate such physical effects.

“It is amazing to see all the hard work of multiple teams coming together in a single experiment. We are looking forward to doing more!” added Josef Cupal, Leader of the L3-HAPLS team.