Fyzikální ústav Akademie věd ČR

The initial construction for the international ELI Beamlines laser centre in Dolní Břežany began three years ago. On the 30th June 2015 the first phase of the construction was completed. The ceremonial handing over of administrative and multi-functional buildings of the ELI Beamlines laser centre and ribbon-cutting ceremony were held in the presence of Robert-Jan Smits, Director-General of DG Research and Innovation of European Commission, and other distinguished guests.

The official handover of the building was also attended by the Member of European Parliament Martina Dlabajová, the Senator and the 1st Vice-chairman of the Research, Development and Innovation Council Eva Syková, Governor of the Central Bohemian Region Miloš Petera, the representative of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports Radek Rinn, Vice President of the Czech Academy of Sciences Jan Šafanda and the director of the 3rd division of Metrostav Martin Plch. A tour of the ELI Beamlines centre ensued after the ribbon-cutting ceremony and handing over the symbolic key and entrance card of the building.

The main technological components of the ELI Beamlines project will be high-performance laser systems generating light pulses capable of achieving intensity yet to seen. Research at the centre will bring new knowledge in the field of biomedicine, development and testing of new materials, imaging and diagnostic methods for medicine, optics, and nanotechnology. ELI Beamlines centre in the Czech Republic as the first pan-European research infrastructure in Central and Eastern Europe, aims to contribute significantly to the connection of Czech science with the top international teams.

Recently the scientists from the experimental team have published an article in the most quoted physics journal, Physical Review. This article develops the knowledge of techniques which use laser particle acceleration for hadron therapy. The study demonstrates that the acceleration of helium ions requires less power than in the case of protons – positive hydrogen ions, which are currently used in proton therapy.

The ELI Project is implemented by the Operational Programme Research and Development for Innovation and is co-financed from European Union funds. “I give the importance which we from the site of the European Union attached to these projects. We have been providing substantial funding on the structural funds and on the 7th Framework Programme which are necessary to develop these ambitious projects. This single country has a monopoly of excellence and we find excellence all over the Europe. Today we are gathered here to celebrate the launch of ELI Beamlines and the completion of its first phase which represents the excellence which you can be proud of, “ Robert-Jan Smits praised the work of the entire ELI Beamlines project team.

For the construction it was necessary to create a vast international team of scientists and engineers whose goal is to build the first laser user infrastructure “I am very pleased that I could stand at the beginning of the ELI Beamlines project and to be here now, when the first phase of construction is completed. I believe that not only the ELI Beamlines center, but also research facility HiLASE, become the center of scientific and technological region, which arises around the locality of Dolní Břežany,” said Jan Řídký, the director of the Institute of Physics.

The architectural style of the ELI Beamlines buildings is characteristic of university campus, which is not only in accordance with the specific technological needs arising from the functions of the research centre, but it also fits with modern buildings in the area. “I am convinced that the researchers will work here at least as well as we, builders, who were building the facility. And I hope that we will see many exciting and revolutionary discoveries here, “ said Martin Plch, the director of the 3rd division, who leads the consortium of three building companies which built the ELI Beamlines facility.

The second phase of construction will be completed by the end of 2015. The laser building will create a foundation for the world’s most unique laser sources and experimental systems. Opening of the centre is planned for 2018.