What do we specialise in?

The aim of the PolFEL project is to build Poland's first free-electron laser. This laser will be a source of radiation for research at the intersection of physics, chemistry, biology and materials science. The Research Infrastructure Department is responsible for the design, construction, development and maintenance of the infrastructure necessary for its operation – from laser systems, magnetic systems and optics to experimental stations, precision measurement systems and accelerator control and synchronisation systems.

The PolFEL infrastructure will enable research into ultra-fast processes occurring in matter. It will be the first research centre of its kind in Poland, with no direct equivalents.

The PolFEL project is being developed in cooperation between the National Centre for Nuclear Research, the Military University of Technology, the Warsaw University of Technology, the Łódź University of Technology, the Wrocław University of Technology, the University of Zielona Góra, the University of Białystok and the Jagiellonian University, as well as Polish high-tech companies. PolFEL has been included in the Polish Research Infrastructure Map.

Laser radiation on free electrons enables imaging of nanometric objects, spectroscopic examination of non-equilibrium states and short-lived or low-probability phenomena, which is not possible with other methods. The high instantaneous power and strong collimation of the laser beam allow for the study of nonlinear processes and plasma, as well as development work on surface modification techniques.

The PolFEL project is being implemented thanks to funds from the National Reconstruction and Resilience Plan.