Extreme Light Infrastructure officially becomes an international organization

Prague, Czech Republic--The Extreme Light Infrastructure (ELI)—a pan-European network of laser laboratories that intends to produce the most intense laser light in the world—has been established as an international association called the ELI Delivery Consortium International Association. The ceremony was held on April 11, 2013 in Brussels, Belgium. (The Union of International Associations is located in Brussels.)

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The founding members of the ELI-DC International Association are three international scientific institutions: the Romanian “Horia Hulubei” National Institute of Research and Development for Physics and Nuclear Engineering (which will develop laser particle accelerators); the Hungarian ELI-Hu Research and Development Non-Profit Limited Liability Company (devoted to attosecond dynamics and ultrahigh-intensity lasers); and the Italian Elettra-Sincrotrone Trieste S.C.p.A.

The Institute of Physics of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic (developing laser plasma accelerators) will join the Association immediately after its establishment. Institutions from other European countries are expected to follow.

The nonprofit organization will develop and coordinate the various ELI research facilities, and will also create a consortium in charge of the future operation of ELI, most likely in the form of a European Research Infrastructure Consortium (ERIC).