Most powerful laser in Europe, inaugurated in Romania
Most powerful laser in Europe, inaugurated in Romania
The most powerful laser in Europe and the second worldwide, of one petawatt, was inaugurated at the National Institute for Laser, Plasma & Radiation Physics (INFLPR) of Magurele (south-east of Bucharest) on Tuesday.
‘Today, we have the special satisfaction to assist to the completion and putting into operation of a high-level worldwide research infrastructure: the Integrated Centre for Advanced Laser Technologies (CETAL)
The Institute hosts the most powerful laser in Europe, the second most powerful laser worldwide, capable to produce laser pulses of one petawatt, with a duration of 25 femtoseconds,’ Minister Delegate for Higher Education and Research Mihnea Costoiu said.
According to him, the CETAL infrastructure is the result of a project entirely funded from the state budget with 72 million lei within the national programme for research-development in the period 2007-2013.
‘It is unique in Europe, through the equipment range and the latest technology level. It represents an essential stage in the completion of the ELI-NP facility, the more famous project which will include two lasers of 10 petawatts,’ the Minister said.
He maintained that, at the same time with the CETAL inauguration, new prospects for high-level research would emerge, such as applications in physics, chemistry, biology, medicine, energy, the science of materials, ultra-advanced production technologies, which would have a significant impact for the Romanian economy.
‘Even if we mention only the huge potential in the areas of particle acceleration for testing the components used in the space industry, the generation of hard X-rays for industrial applications or the protonotherapy in medicine, a spectacular direction range is being shaped up, where the Romanian research will definitely overcome the current barriers. The new generation of researchers of Romania and the next generations will have the possibility to conduct here research projects that require resources which until now were available only in a few laboratories in the USA, Germany, the UK or South Korea. CETAL will draw, it has already done this, teams of researchers from abroad, the Romanian scientific diaspora, included,’ Costoiu also said.
Prime Minister Victor Ponta, Romanian Academy President, Academician Ionel Valentin Vlad, National Education Minister Remus Pricopie, Defence Minister Mircea Dusa, Secretary of State with the Education Ministry Tudor Prisecaru also participated in the event.
info: @AGERPRES
