Access Facilities - LULI

Access to the LULI2000 and ELFIE laser facilities. >>> LULI Homepage

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LULI is the major French research infrastructure dedicated to High-Energy Density Plasma Physics using nanosecond high-energy coupled to picosecond high-power laser pulses. Located within the Ecole Polytechnique stimulating campus, it operates and continuously upgrades two multi-beam facilities: LULI2000 (on the right) and ELFIE, both having fully-equipped and radio-protected dedicated experimental areas, with state-of-the-art instrumentation and laser-based diagnostic capabilities (optical interferometry: VISAR and FDI, x-ray radiography, Thomson x-ray scattering, xuv/x-ray spectroscopy, proton deflectometry…). Experiments are mainly based on laser irradiation of solid or gaseous targets, bringing them to the state of plasma, at extreme temperature, density and pressure conditions. The versatility of the facilities allows covering many research fields.

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Research fields

• fundamental Plasma Physics (equations of state and transport coefficients, atomic physics…), especially in the Warm Dense Matter regime,
• Inertial Fusion Sciences: laser-plasma interaction, hydrodynamics… (direct drive, alternative ignition schemes : fast ignition and shock ignition),
• interdisciplinary applications:
  
  • laboratory astrophysics and planetary sciences,
  • materials under shock load (manufacturing, spallation…),
• laser-based Secondary Sources of high-energy particles (electrons and ions) and radiation (from xuv to hard x-rays),
• R&D in optics and laser technologies (adaptive optics, damage thresholds of large optics, OPCPA, diode-pumped solid-state high-energy lasers…)
  
  

• ELFIE is a highly versatile, reliable and manageable Ti:Sapph/mixed glass laser system based on the CPA technique. It delivers up to 4 synchronized laser beams, with durations ranging from 0.5 ns to 0.3 ps, and soon 50 fs, and intensities beyond a few 10¹⁹ W/cm², for a total energy of 200 J at ω

• LULI2000 is one of the most energetic lasers in Europe; it’s a high-energy 3-beam neodymium glass pulsed laser delivering at 1.06 µm (ω): up to 2 x 1 kJ and ~80 J in the ns regime (nano2000 configuration) or up to 1 kJ and ~80 J in the ns regime and up to 200 J at 1 ps (pico2000 configuration). Pulse duration and shaping in the ns regime and beam delay can be readily adjusted.

 Frequency convertion is implemented on all beams (mainly 2 ω, but 3 ω available upon request for the nano 2000 configuration)