Present and Future Experimental Capabilities of the ZEUS Facility

The Zettawatt Equivalent Ultrashort Pulse Laser System (ZEUS) at the University of Michigan is a National Science Foundation-funded user facility designed to support advanced research in high-intensity laser science. ZEUS features a dual-beamline, 3 petawatt-class laser system operating at one shot per minute, a programmable multi-nanosecond pulse driver delivering up to 100 J, and three radiation-shielded experimental areas. These capabilities enable cutting-edge investigations in areas such as nonlinear quantum electrodynamics, relativistic plasma physics, particle acceleration, nuclear photonics, and laboratory astrophysics. Facility access is granted through a competitive peer-review process based on scientific merit. This presentation will report on recent developments in laser and target area performance, as well as plans to enhance ZEUS Target Area 2 with high-intensity, 3 PW multibeam capability. It will also highlight early scientific results, including commissioning experiments on laser wakefield electron acceleration, betatron soft and hard x-ray generation, and their application to high-resolution imaging using a 2 PW laser beam.