Introduction by Professor Vlastimil RĹŻĹžiÄ?ka, Vice-minister for Research and Higher Education
On October 1st , 2009 the representatives of the 13 funding agencies involved in the ELI Preparatory Phase Consortium approved the integrated proposal for the implementation of the Extreme-Light-Infrastructure presented by the Czech Republic, Hungary and Romania. The three candidate host nations received the mandate to continue their development of an integrated ELI established on three sites and placed under a single legal and governance umbrella. The Czech Republic was entrusted with the specific mission to build the beamlines facility of ELI, one of the key components of the project. I am pleased to confirm that the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports intends to provide a funding of 260 million euros for the construction of this facility. Fully supported by the Government of the Czech Republic (Resolution No.1514, dated November 24th, 2008), this commitment is the natural consequence of the strong expertise in laser science acquired over the last 30 years by the Czech research community and the expression of its strong involvement in scientific initiatives of European and international interest. It also testifies the belief of the Czech Republic in the virtues of a knowledgebased economy. We know the outstanding role that world-class research infrastructures can play in contributing to a more sustainable growth and in finding answers to the global issues of our time. ELI represents indeed a wonderful opportunity to make the triangle of knowledge between the industry, the academia and the research community a reality. Implemented in three new Member States, ELI will represent a major contribution to the success of the European Research Area initiative by supporting better cohesion and balance in the access to excellent research infrastructures and by promoting mobility of researchers throughout Europe. It is the intention of the Czech Republic, Hungary and Romania to preserve and promote the original panEuropean dimension of ELI. The three countries invite all Member States to participate in this endeavour in order to make this future infrastructure a truly European achievement.
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Making the most of ELI
Initiated by Professor GĂŠrard Mourou in 2005, the ELI project aims at pushing further ahead the frontiers of laser science by exploring the world of ultra-relativistic physics, a regime characterized by extremely high light intensities (over 1023 W.cm-2).
The generation of such unprecedented intensity levels will pave the way to a wide range of scientific applications. On the one hand, ELI will enable to mimic at the pin-head scale the extreme conditions that prevail in some parts of the outer space, like in the vicinity of black holes. As the only infrastructure worldwide able to study the interaction between laser and vacuum, it will give a new insight on the fundamental laws of the Universe. On the other hand, the extreme intensity levels reached by ELI will enable particle acceleration on devices far more compact than today’s accelerators. This dramatic downsizing will benefit numerous societal and industrial applications. The Czech Republic as a candidate for hosting ELI considered that this large spectrum of opportunities would be most effectively harnessed if ELI were implemented as a multiple-sited facility. Following extensive negotiations, the Steering Committee of the ELI Preparatory Phase Consortium approved this approach and gave the Czech Republic the mandate to implement one of the core components of ELI "the so-called Beamlines Facility", the attosecond and photonuclear components of the project being built in Hungary and Romania. The backbone of the designed ELI Beamlines Facility will be a large laser system generating short pulses with duration of typically 20 fs. This system will involve laser beams providing multi-PW peak power and running at a repetition rate of 10 Hz, as well as laser beams running at a lower repetition rate and delivering peak power of 20 to 50 PW for fundamental research. The ultra-short and ultra-intense pulses of light and particles generated at the designed ELI facility will allow a broad spectrum of projects in fundamental and applied research, notably in chemistry, biology, medical technologies, development of new materials, and others.
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A pan-European project in the heart of Europe
The ELI project aims at building the first laser infrastructure of pan-European importance dedicated to multi-disciplinary studies and secondary sources production and applications providing open access to users. The European Strategic Forum on Research Infrastructures formally recognized the project’s exceptional ambition and supranational dimension by including ELI into its Roadmap of 44 large-scale research infrastructure projects of high priority published in 2006 and updated in 2008. Launched in November 2006, the Preparatory Phase of ELI now involves nearly 40 research and academic institutions from 13 EU Member States. The Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences takes part in this phase as the coordinator of the strategic work package on lasers. The Preparatory Phase is expected to define the governance, legal, safety and financial model of the future infrastructure and to deliver a detailed technical design enabling the start of the construction phase. Deciding on the location of the infrastructure was another major task of the Preparatory Phase. On October 1st , 2009 the representatives of the funding agencies involved in the Preparatory Phase Consortium approved the integrated proposal for the implementation of ELI presented by the Czech Republic, Hungary and Romania. The three candidate host nations received the mandate to continue their development of an integrated ELI established on three sites dedicated respectively to the beamline, attosecond and photonuclear dimensions of the project. It was also decided that the location of the emblematic ultra-high intensity component of ELI would be decided in 2012, with a construction phase expected to be completed between 2016 and 2018. The ELI sites will be placed under the centralized governance of a single European Research Infrastructure Consortium (ERIC), a new legal entity created by the European Union and specifically designed for the needs of large-scale research infrastructures. Established by the three host countries, the ELI-ERIC is expected to be as inclusive as possible and to enjoy close relationships with regional partner facilities already under consideration. Located in the heart of Europe, the Extreme-Light-Infrastructure will contribute substantially to reducing the imbalance of research infrastructures in Europe and to fostering transnational cooperation and mobility fully in line with the European Research Area initiative.
Beamline Facility
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Scientific Mission of the Beamlines Facility
Thanks to the extremely high intensities it will deliver, the ELI laser will be able to turn instantaneously matter into a very specific plasma that will reveal new kinds of phenomena never achieved before (ultra-high magnetic or electric fields, perturbations at the nuclear level, etc.). Numerous applications showing potential benefits for the society are expected to derive from their study. Based on the new generation of highenergy high repetition-rate lasers that the Czech Republic intends to develop, the Beamlines Facility would be dedicated to this specific field of the ELI project. High-energy hadron beams for cancer therapy High-energy hadron beams could be of high interest for the treatment of deep tumours. As they are able to concentrate their energy exclusively on the affected area, they represent a potential alternative to X-ray devices which require complex techniques to prevent radiations on healthy tissues. Proton or ion beams generated by conventional accelerators are already used on patients, but they are only available in very few hospitals given their huge dimensions and cost. The use of lasers appears as the key to overcome these two obstacles. The levels of energy and repetition-rate expected from the future beamline facility laser open the way to significant progress in hadrontherapy.
laser system
control room
pulse compressor & contrast enhancement
proton beam source >
patient positioning
The dawn of compact electron accelerators Theoretical and numerical simulations based on recent experiments have proven that ELI will have the capacity to accelerate electrons up to energy levels that have only been achievable on large superconducting accelerators so far. The fields of applications opened by these future energetic electron beams are wide and promising: cancer therapy, water radiolysis, flash electron diffraction, and more fundamental physics for the highest energy levels (electron interaction with matter, particle or photons). Sources of flash γ-rays for medical and industrial uses Under specific conditions, electron acceleration enables the production of γ-ray beams that can have interesting applications notably in flash radiography of the human body. A strong focus is put by the research community involved in this field on angiography and mammography for very early detection of tumours with increased chances of successful treatments. Flash radiography with γ-rays of high energy could also be used within some industries – nuclear vessels, planes – to detect small and deep material dislocations and material ageing. Laser-driven X-ray lasers Producing photons of very short wavelengths allows applications in many fields of research, from Biology (3D images of macromolecules or living cells, study of haemoglobin dynamics), to Chemistry (triggered chemical reactions, study of reactions in very high resolution), or Physics (study of the core of giant planets, atomic physics). So far, this is achieved within huge synchrotron facilities. The X-ray lasers (free-electron or plasma based) harboured in the Beamline site are expected to enable similar applications at a much smaller scale. Study of new state of matter for Planetary Science The core of giant planets like Jupiter is made of highly compressed, warm and highly ionized matter. The physics of this uncommon state of matter has been subject to long-lasting theoretical studies. With the recent development of ultra-intense X-ray lasers, one may now expect the creation of this state in the lab. Thanks to the versatility of ELI, we may create this socalled "warm dense matter" and also probe it with the full panel of secondary sources driven by the ELI lasers.
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A strong expertise in laser research
For nearly 30 years the Czech Republic has built up and strengthened its involvement in laser research, and its continuous effort has given rise to the country’s recognition at the European level as a state-of-the-art expert.
The development of two high-power laser systems (Golem and Perun) in the 1980s by the research teams of the Czech Technical University and the Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, made many experiments in the field of laser-plasma interaction possible, and contributed to the expansion of the national laser research community. Operated since 2000 by the Institute of Physics together with the Institute of Plasma Physics, the Prague Asterix Laser Facility (PALS) has confirmed the Czech Republic as an important actor in laser research in Europe. PALS, able to deliver 300-picosecond pulses of 1 kJ, has produced numerous significant contributions to the study of laser-matter interaction under extreme conditions, and has provided the European research community with unique and high quality secondary sources – most notably soft X-ray lasers. These advances have been accomplished with the European connection in mind, and have resulted in many international experiments and in forming stable collaborations with several foreign research institutions. PALS was distinctively recognized as the first Laserlab partner in terms of transnational access (in proportion to its financial contribution) between 2004 and 2007. The ongoing involvement of most of the administrative and research members of the PALS team in the preparatory phases of such ambitious projects as HiPER and ELI is the present singular illustration of this resolute European and international orientation.
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Making real the triangle of knowledge
Large-scale research infrastructures such as ELI represent a wonderful opportunity to tackle the fragmentation of our knowledge systems, create strong organic links between the actors of its creation and build together the three elements of the “triangle of knowledge” – innovation, research and education.
The construction of ELI represents a major leap forward in the development of laser technologies and therefore requires a strong involvement of the industry in the project. It is our aim to use the excellence of ELI in a strategic way by building up a “hub of intellectual capital” that will promote knowledge-sharing. Numerous European and Czech institutions involved in higher education have already expressed their strong interest in the project. As for the industry, ELI represents both a technological challenge and a growth opportunity. Beyond the scientific outcomes of the project, it will be essential to foster the creation of added value. This will result in particular from the technological developments outsourced to companies and from close partnerships between the industry and the academic world. In this respect, the creation of a technological park in the vicinity of the ELI beamline facility is already considered in order to foster synergies between the various actors involved and interested in the project. The participation of industrial partners will be required during the construction phase through the supply and development of the finest equipments and components, but also during operation, in order to guarantee the sustainability and potential upgrade of the infrastructure. Furthermore, a small share of the access time is expected to be dedicated to contractual users interested in using the laser and secondary sources available at ELI for custom development, testing and probing of new materials, pharmaceuticals, detectors and for testing prospective industrial technologies. The Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences has wellestablished relations with many companies specialised in fields such as optics, laser materials, detectors, advanced vacuum technologies, advanced control and regulation systems, manipulators, robotic systems, computer vision, medical technology and instrumentation.
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Strong links with the academic world
As a large-scale research infrastructure, ELI will involve a wide community of researchers, but will also require an extended and highly skilled workforce answering the technical and administrative needs of the facility. Of course, as a pan-European institution, ELI will rely significantly on the participation of foreign users. However, the contribution of the Czech Republic in terms of human resources will be essential.
In this respect, considering the timeline of the project, the establishment of strong partnerships between academic and research institutions is required well ahead the operational phase in order to provide ELI with an efficient and sufficient workforce. The creation of a consortium gathering 14 Czech Universities and research institutions interested in the ELI project (see map below) is a first answer to this challenge. The kick-off meeting of this joint initiative was organized in February 2009 in Prague. In the near future, the creation of new graduate degrees and training programs in relation with the science of ELI is expected, to the benefit of the growing community of Czech students and researchers (the number of students registered in Czech Universities has increased by more than 50% since 2002, while the number of doctorate graduates has nearly doubled). ELI represents undoubtedly a wonderful opportunity for students interested in a career in the research sector. It is also the aim of the consortium to contribute to the promotion of the project in the Czech Republic.
Charles University, Czech Technical University, Institute of Chemical Technology, Institute of Physics, Institute of Plasma Physics, Heyrovsky Institute of Physical Chemistry, Czech University of Life Sciences
Technical University of Liberec University of Pardubice
Liberec Prague
University of West Bohemia
Plzeň
Pardubice Olomouc
University of South Bohemia
České Budějovice
Brno Palacky University
Institute of Physics of Materials, Institute of Scientific Instruments
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The site Easy Access & High Quality PRAGUE
The selected site of the ELI is situated in the southern vicinity of Prague, in the town of Dolni Brezany, in the Central Bohemia Region. A six-hectare lot is considered for the construction of the infrastructure and a future large technological park.
The natural environment surrounding the site as well as the availability of high quality services (shops and commercial centers, schools, hospitals, etc.) represent ideal conditions for hosting an infrastructure of this kind. This location is easily accessible from the Czech Republic, Europe and the rest of the world. It is in close proximity to the nearly completed Prague motorway ring, which directly connects to the European motorway network and provides communication with downtown Prague and with the Ruzyně International Airport within a 20-minute drive. The indicative driving time is 3 hours to Berlin and Bratislava, 3.5 hours to Munich and Vienna, 4.5 hours to Budapest, and 9 to 10 hours to Warsaw, Paris or Brussels. The airport offers frequent direct flights to 105 destinations in 46 countries and connections to the major European cities several times a day. Dolní Břežany is located immediately beyond the southern administrative boundary of Prague and is a developing community with a clear and coherent concept of local and regional development. This is evidenced by the village’s public school and its newly completed commercial centre / village square, where one finds a complex of buildings for residential, commercialadministrative-business use, and a new 3.5-hectare public park with a lake. In the periphery of the village centre, there is a considerable amount of housing (both single and multi-family varieties), sports facilities and areas for production. Near to the new centre is a Baroque chateau, which is in the list of national cultural heritage; it is anticipated that this chateau will within the next few years be reconstructed for use as a four star hotel with restaurant. These architectural alterations shall result in the creation of a representative urban axis connecting the new commercial centre, the new pedestrian zone in front of the chateau and the new technology campus to be comprised of ELI buildings. This representative, science and technology park will offer employees a pleasant working environment with sufficient support services and opportunities for relaxation, leisure and other outside activities.
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Central Bohemia, a dynamic region proud of its history The Region of Central Bohemia is the most dynamically developing area of the 13 territorial administrative units of the Czech Republic. It harbors major industrial sites and prides itself with a thoroughly developed infrastructure. Many companies involved in the automotive industry have their headquarters and production sites in the region; these include Czech Republic’s largest automaker Škoda Auto a.s. in Mladá Boleslav; the joint venture automobile plant of Toyota Peugeot in Kolín; Valeo, the producer of components and integrated systems for cars and trucks in Rakovník; and Foxconn CZ, the producer of computers and computer components in Kutná Hora. The region not only houses some of the biggest Czech exporters, it is also the operational base of the nation’s largest aerospace company, Aero Vodochody, developer and a manufacturer of civil and military aircrafts and aviation technology; as well as makers of chemical products, food, ceramics, and glass.
The region offers a wealth of history and showcases numerous castles and other historical attractions. It features nature reserves and provides recreational and daytrip opportunities. The largest number of cultural and historic landmarks is to be found in the town of Kutná Hora. Together with its St. Barbara Cathedral and the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin in Sedlec, the town’s historic centre was added to the UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage List in 1995. The region surrounding the Křivoklát Castle is the most valued by natural scientists and in 1977 was proclaimed a UNESCO biosphere reserve. Other protected landscape areas of interest include Kokořín Castle region, Bohemian Karst, and Blaník and its vicinity.
The site of ELI would certainly benefit from and contribute to the economic dynamics of the region, while researchers would enjoy its remarkable environment.
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Milestones
2005
Establishment of the scientific case of ELI by a pool of European participants
2005-2006
Peer review and assessment by the ESFRI institutions
September 2006
Inclusion of ELI within the 35 projects of large-scale research infrastructures of the ESFRI Roadmap
November 2007
Official starting date of the Preparatory Phase of ELI financially supported by the European Commission
February 2008
Kick-off meeting of the Preparatory Phase in Paris
Summer 2008
ELI receives the highest rank in the Czech Republic in the review of the projects of research infrastructures established by an international expert panel
September 2008
Submission of the Czech bid for hosting ELI
October 2009
Decision of the Steering Committee of ELI giving a mandate to the Czech Republic, Hungary and Romania to implement ELI through the construction of 3 facilities placed under the single governance
September 2010
Final decision of the EC on the allocation of the structural funds of the Operational Program Research and Development for Innovation
Fall 2010
End of the ELI Preparatory Phase
Winter 2010
Beginning of the Construction Phase
Winter 2012
End of the building’s construction
2013
Implementation of the laser and experimental sites
2014
First photons emitted by ELI and commissioning
2015
ELI opened to European and international users