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The NSF OPAL facility is envisioned to serve as a learning environment and hub for diverse scientific networks, offering opportunities for fundamental research, innovation, and societal benefit. Funding from the U.S. National Science Foundation will support the design of two 25-petawatt lasers using optical parametric chirped-pulse amplification, as well as associated experimental and diagnostics systems.
Frontier Science Working Groups
Four Frontier Science Working Groups identified eight multi-petawatt laser experiments to explore the frontiers of science and push the limits of technology. From those eight proposals, a peer review panel selected four as flagship experiments to guide the NSF OPAL midscale research infrastructure (RI-1) project that will design and prototype critical systems for a new, world-leading, high-power laser user facility at the University of Rochester.
News & Updates
NSF OPAL Flagship Experiment Selection Report
The Flagship Selection Report details the selection of experiments that will guide the NSF OPAL midscale research infrastructure (RI-1) project that will design and prototype critical systems for a new,…
Is a gamma-ray laser possible?
Led by NSF OPAL Co-PI Antonino Di Piazza, a team of researchers have secured National Science Foundation funding in collaboration with colleagues from ELI Beamlines in the Czech Republic to study the feasibility of coherent light sources beyond X-rays.
MP3 Workshop Report
The Multi-Petawatt Physics Prioritization (MP3) Workshop Report captures the outcomes from a community-initiated workshop held April 20-22, 2022 at Sorbonne University in Paris, France.
NSF Announcement of RI-1 Awards
The National Science Foundation has awarded the University of Rochester nearly $18 million over three years to design and prototype key technologies for the NSF OPAL facility.
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This material is based upon work supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation under Award No. 2329970. Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. National Science Foundation.