State-of-the-Art Laboratory Space

With an initial peak power of 40 tera-watts and a peak intensity of 10²⁰ W/cm², the SCARLET laser system has stringent environmental and safety requirements. To meet these demands, a significant amount of planning went into the design and construction of new laboratory spaces that, combined, amount to 3,600 sq. ft. of environmentally-controlled space in which to set up and conduct experiments.



Situated in the Physics Research Building, the new lab is home to a 1,200 sq. ft. state-of-the-art laser bay, inside which the SCARLET laser system operates under clean room conditions. In order to limit the amount of particulate matter that could potentially damage optical components, access to the laser bay requires personnel to enter via an air shower and adhere to clean room guidelines.

Laser light is piped under vacuum into a separate 600 sq. ft. target bay area. This configuration facilitates the setup and maintenance of the target chamber, diagnostics, and vacuum systems. An additional 1,800 sq. ft. of laboratory space is used for control room and staging purposes. To help ensure safety and security, access to laboratory space is restricted through the use of personal RFID badges and magnetic interlocks.