Progress Report on the Commissioning of the ZEUS Facility

ORAL

Abstract

The Zettawatt Equivalent Ultrashort Pulse Laser System (ZEUS) is a user facility funded by the National Science Foundation and located at the University of Michigan. ZEUS consists of a repetitive dual-beamline 3 PW laser system, a programmable multi-nanosecond pulse driver capable of delivering 100 J of energy, and three experimental areas with radiation shielding. It offers unique capabilities for studying fields such as nonlinear quantum electrodynamics, relativistic plasmas, particle acceleration, extreme laboratory astrophysics, and nuclear photonics. Access to the ZEUS facility is granted by an independent review panel based on the scientific merit of the proposals submitted. During the 2024 fiscal year, seven user experiments, each lasting one month, were conducted on ZEUS. An additional eight experiments are scheduled for 2025. This presentation will provide an update on the progress of the ZEUS facility's performance, including the laser, target areas, and radiation shielding. It will also discuss the results of the initial commissioning experiment on laser wakefield electron acceleration and betatron radiation generation at the 1 PW level.

Presenters

  • Anatoly M Maksimchuk

    University of Michigan

Authors

  • Anatoly M Maksimchuk

    University of Michigan

  • John Nees

    UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN

  • Bixue Hou

    University of MIchigan

  • Richard Anthony

    University of Michigan

  • Franko Bayer

    University of Michigan

  • Milos Burger

    University of Michigan

  • Paul T Campbell

    University of Michigan

  • Galina Kalinchenko

    University of Michigan

  • Sallee Rae Klein

    University of Michigan

  • Yong Ma

    University of Michigan

  • Gregg Sucha

    University of Michigan

  • Richard Van Camp

    University of Michigan

  • Lauren Weinberg

    University of Michigan

  • Grant Young

    University of Michigan

  • Grant Young

    University of Michigan

  • Junwoo Bae

    University of Michigan

  • Jason A Cardarelli

    University of Michigan

  • Veronica Contreras

    University of Michigan

  • Nicholas P Ernst

    University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

  • Joshua L Latham

    University of Michigan

  • William Likes

    University of Michigan

  • Tanner Nutting

    University of Michigan

  • Igor Jovanovic

    University of Michigan

  • Carolyn C Kuranz

    University of Michigan

  • Alec G.R. Thomas

    University of Michigan, Michigan University

  • Louise Willingale

    University of Michigan

  • Karl Michael Krushelnick

    University of Michigan