A view through the titanium-sapphire crystal that helps to transfer power into ZEUS’s laser pulses. At two petawatts, ZEUS is now the most powerful laser in the U.S. Image credit: Marcin Szczepanski, Michigan Engineering
The ZEUS laser facility at the University of Michigan has officially made history, firing its first 2-petawatt pulse—twice the peak power of any other laser in the U.S. This immense energy output lasts only 25 quintillionths of a second but has the potential to revolutionize physics and engineering.
“This milestone marks the dawn of a new era for American high-field science,” said Karl Krushelnick, director of the Gérard Mourou Center for Ultrafast Optical Science, home to ZEUS. The laser’s immense power will fuel groundbreaking research in astrophysics, quantum physics, national security, and medical imaging.
The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) supports ZEUS as a user facility, welcoming scientists worldwide to propose experiments. One of the first research teams, led by Franklin Dollar of the University of California, Irvine, aims to generate ultra-high-energy electron beams—potentially rivaling those produced by large-scale particle accelerators.
“We’re working with two laser beams—one to form a guiding channel and another to accelerate electrons,” explained Anatoly Maksimchuk, a research scientist at U-M. Their goal is to surpass previous energy thresholds, opening the door to discoveries.
Looking ahead, ZEUS’s most anticipated experiment will involve colliding high-speed electrons with counter-propagating laser pulses, artificially creating a petawatt-scale effect—a power level never before achieved in a laboratory setting.
“ZEUS enables research that could enhance cancer treatment technologies and improve imaging methods for soft tissues,” said Vyacheslav Lukin, NSF program director overseeing the project. With its modular design and multi-beam capabilities, the facility is expected to shape the future of laser-driven science.
Although ZEUS’s journey to 2 petawatts has faced challenges, such as sourcing ultra-rare titanium sapphire crystals and mitigating beam distortions, researchers are steadily progressing toward the ultimate 3-petawatt mark.
“This facility is helping high-intensity laser science regain momentum in the U.S.,” said Dollar. As ZEUS continues welcoming research teams, its legacy as a national scientific hub is only beginning.
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