This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).
This award supports a renovation project to provide infrastructure improvements needed to expand the existing Extreme Light Laboratory into a multi-disciplinary shared core facility, the High Power Laser Science Collaboratory (HPLSC). It will house a new multi-terawatt laser with distinct new capabilities (built by UNL physicists using an existing $3 million investment from the Air Force Office of Scientific Research) and five laboratories to support laser science investigators. The HPLSC will further enable investigations in relativistic optics and strongly relativistic nonlinear optics, anticipated to result in a deeper understanding of optical physics and the development of novel extreme radiation sources and advanced accelerators. The new laser's bandwidth of 1-100keV will provide unique opportunities to characterize the electronic structure of materials and provide new insight into their physical properties.
The HPLSC will enable UNL to extend the use of these unique capabilities to internal and external interdisciplinary teams working on the development of applications in molecular, optical, plasma and nuclear physics, materials science and biomedicine. The HPLSC will provide research and training opportunities for the next generation of researchers in physics, engineering, chemistry and biochemistry, and initially extend access to 10 faculty researchers, 10 postdoctoral researchers, 29 graduate students and 13 undergraduate students. HPLSC affiliated researchers actively participate in UNL efforts to broaden participation in science and engineering by offering meaningful research opportunities to undergraduate and graduate students, with a focus on increasing opportunities underrepresented groups.
The High Power Laser Science Collaboratory was designed and constructed with this project. It includes renovation of about 4,900 gross square feet on basement and sub-basement levels in existing Behlen Laboratory. This underground space provides radiation shielding and very low levels of vibration so is suitable for high powered lasers. The sub basement spaces include shielded target rooms, control room and preparation room. The basement level houses the kilohertz and multi-terawatt lasers in three adjacent rooms plus control room and support spaces. A new mechanical system supports the loads of the laser equipment. The HPLSC project began with design based on laser research needs. The work was completed in three phases- demolition, build out and final completion. The build out and final work included improvements to architectural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and associated systems. The completed space is complimentary to the existing Extreme Light Laboratory including the Diocles laser. The project created space for it to expand into a multidisciplinary shared core facility with ability to resond to the need for stronger laser potential. It is a powerful and versatile reearch laboratory capable of signal averaging and small signal detection, that will increase access for scientists and engineers pursuing basic research and innovative laser applications.
