The University of Michigan has made a colossal leap in laser science. Its ZEUS system, supported by the National Science Foundation, has fired a laser pulse of 2 petawatts – a power so high that it exceeds 100 times the world’s electrical generating capacity, but only for a tiny fraction of a second.
This breakthrough places ZEUS as the most powerful laser facility in the United States. Beyond the technical impact, this breakthrough opens a new era for research in plasma physics, materials science, medicine, homeland security and quantum physics.
What is ZEUS and how does it work?
The Zettawatt Equivalent Ultrashort Pulse Laser System, known as ZEUS, is an open access platform for national and international researchers. Its design allows the light to be split into multiple beams, which expands the range of possible experiments. ZEUS is based on Ti:Sapphire crystal technology and can handle laser beams up to 30 centimeters in diameter.
Its operation involves four rounds of laser amplification that increase the energy of the initial pulse until it reaches its peak. Subsequently, this beam enters vacuum chambers, where it is concentrated to microns thick to reach maximum intensities.
Wakefield acceleration: a new frontier in physics
One of the most relevant applications of ZEUS is the acceleration of electrons by wakefields. In this process, a laser pulse is passed through a gas-filled chamber, generating a plasma. The electrons released from the gas are dragged by the field generated after the pulse.
The team, led by Franklin Dollar of the University of California, is seeking to achieve energies equivalent to those of large particle accelerators. This is achieved through an experimental design that combines two beams: one guides and the other accelerates the electrons. The goal is to produce beams up to 10 times more energetic than those previously obtained in the same facility.
The most powerful laser
ZEUS is not just a laboratory tool, but a strategic resource. Its open structure allows scientists from different parts of the world to propose research. Since its inauguration in 2023, it has already hosted more than 50 researchers from 22 institutions.
In addition to its current capabilities, ZEUS is preparing to reach 3 petawatts, with a view to its flagship experiment: colliding beams of accelerated electrons with opposing laser pulses. In the electron reference frame, the pulse will appear to have a power of zettawatts.
Medical, defense and technology applications
Beyond physical experiments, the ZEUS laser promises advances in medical imaging, cancer treatment techniques, astrophysics research, and simulations of cosmic events. According to NSF’s Vyacheslav Lukin, the capabilities of ZEUS will boost both U.S. scientific knowledge and technological development.
This energy leap was made possible by the fabrication of unique components, such as an 18 cm diameter sapphire crystal that took four and a half years to build. The installation, the size of a school gymnasium, represents a new paradigm in extreme light research.
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Source and photo: University of Michigan
