In order to further improve the scientific literacy of COSE students and enhance their academic horizons, on the morning of December 26, COSE invited Dr. Li Ruxin, a famous laser expert and also a CAS member, to give a report entitled "Xihe Laser" (known as the Shanghai Superintense-Ultrafast Lasers Facility, or SULF) for the undergraduates of COSE and all the students of the Daheng experimental class. The report was conducted online through Tencent Meeting and was chaired by Prof. Dai Daozin, Dean of COSE.
Dr. Li Ruxin first reviewed his experience of studying and living in Yuquan Campus, Zhejiang University 30 years ago. Then, he started from the name connotation and origin of "Xihe Laser", briefly introduced the laser devices related to the "Xihe Laser” and made a detailed illustration of the working principle of the "Xihe Laser” and the key technology to demonstrate the ultra-high power, as high as 10 petawatts. Dr. Li emphasized that time scale is a very important research field to achieve ultra-high power of ultra-short pulse laser, and pointed out five possible breakthrough directions in the field of laser and its current progress: nano-scale beam applications in microscopy and storage; laser-based ultra-precise optical clocks to measure the fundamental constants of the universe; laser fusion to generate inexhaustible carbon-free energy sources; attosecond light pulses to detect carrier dynamics and chemical reactions; desktop high-energy electron and proton accelerators. Xihe Laser's achievement was evaluated by Science as "one of the five milestones in the improvement of laser pulse power since the invention of the first laser in the world in 1960". The construction of Xihe Laser will help to promote breakthroughs in laser application fields such as laser acceleration of GeV-level high-energy protons and generation of antiprotons, detection and generation of gravitational waves, and the potential generation of some special materials. Dr. Li also introduced the construction plan of "Xihe No. 2" in detail and pointed out that the 100-petawatt laser of "Xihe No. 2" under construction would be combined with X-ray free electron laser, which was expected to lead the international research in vacuum quantum electrodynamics effect and cosmic ultra-high-energy particle acceleration.
After the report, the participating students asked questions enthusiastically, and Dr. Li answered them in detail one by one and gave suggestions on how to carry out scientific research work based on his own experience. Finally, on behalf of COSE, Prof. Dai once again thanked Dr. Li Ruxin. This report is a complete success!
