CLPU (Salamanca, Spain)

Centro de Laseres Pulsados / Center for Pulsed Lasers

CLPU operates VEGA, a multi Terawatt laser system composed by three independent and synchronised 30 fs Ti:Sa based-laser pulses centered on 800 nm wavelength: VEGA-3 of 1 PW (at 1Hz), VEGA- 2 of 200 TW (up to 10 Hz). Besides its architecture, the uniqueness of VEGA is that it is a petawatt-class laser system of high-repetition rate.

Research highlights
Ion acceleration and Proton sources

CLPU has experience on laser ion acceleration via TNSA and its subsequent applications such as alpha-particle and radioisotope production, proton-boron nuclear reactions as well as neutron generation. Experimental campaigns focused on that have been carried out with VEGA laser system in the last ten years.

Electrons acceleration and X-ray radiation generation via laser-plasma interaction

A considerably number of experimental campaigns on electron acceleration via LWFA have been successfully carried out at CLPU. Also, x-ray radiation generation and the corresponding diagnostics for its characterization have been developed.

Expertise

VEGA 2 (200 TW) interaction chamber

The CLPU is the key Spanish user facility specialized in high-power ultrashort lasers and its applications included in the strategic National Roadmap of Unique Scientific and Technical Infrastructures (ICTS). Its main mission is to promote scientific and technological development by offering national and international user access to its laser system VEGA, successfully commissioned in 2017 (the 200 TW VEGA-2), and in 2019 (the PW VEGA-3).

VEGA is offered to national and international users with several modes of operation related to the selection of the synchronized lines, the repetition rate (single-shot, burst or nominal frequency or dividers modes,) and the energy (full power and/or lower regime).

VEGA 3 (Petawatt) interaction chamber

The CLPU staff have demonstrated experience on laser plasma interaction, particle acceleration (laser weakfield acceleration, Ion acceleration), laser metrology, targetry and diagnostic and generated secondary sources (electron, proton and betatron X-ray) are the main subject of investigations at CLPU. The scientific division is involved in a research programme encompassing the secondary sources’ development and their employment in high density and intense laser-plasma interactions, targetry, detectors’ development, warm dense matter, proton-boron nuclear reactions, neutron generation via laser plasma interaction.

Equipment offered to external users

Target Area of the CLPU

The laser VEGA, a Titanium-Sapphire system based on CPA technology, is available offering two beamlines (200 TW and Petawatt) whose properly focalized can delivers (both) a peak intensity of I ~ 2×1020 W/cm2 in maximum compression. The more relevant parameters are described below, and in also can be found in detail in the web: https://www.clpu.es/en/laser-vega-pw/

In addition, in the petawatt line we can provide a singularity: a double pulse configuration beam which consists of a delay line (two pulses delayed in time until 25 ps max.) with energies up to 12J and 3J respectively (and conversely). It has been used successfully for optimize the proton and ion acceleration.

Autocorrelation trace measurement on the double pulse configuration and Thomson parabola spectrometer + MCP

The CLPU facility can provide the following complementary equipment to VEGA:

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