LMJ & PETAL Status and first experiments

Abstract

The laser Megajoule (LMJ) facility is designed to provide the experimental capabilities to study High Energy Density Physics (HEDP). The LMJ is part of the Simulation Program, which combines improvement of physics models, high performance numerical simulation, and experimental validation. Since the operational commissioning of the LMJ, in October 2014, several experimental campaigns have been achieved. They have demonstrated the good performances of LMJ and demonstrated its aptitudes to perform experiments for the Simulation Program. The PETAL project consists in the addition of one short-pulse (ps) ultra- high-power, high-energy beam (kJ) to the LMJ facility. The first high energy test shots in the compressor stage of PETAL, performed in May 2015, have reached a power of 1.2 PW. PETAL will offer a combination of a very high intensity multi-petawatt beam, synchronized with the nanosecond beams of the LMJ. This combination will expand the LMJ experimental field in HEDP. LMJ-PETAL is open to the academic communities; the first experiments are planned in 2017.