The ELI ERIC was set up to run the ELI laser research institutes, funded by ESFRI. The ELI ALPS and ELI Beamlines institutes are the first facilities in the world to enable the study of the interaction of light and matter at higher intensities with increasing time resolution, even in the ultra-relativistic range. This will open up new avenues in physics, chemistry and materials science, as well as pave the way for new technical developments such as relativistic microelectronics and table-scale laser particle accelerators. The research results achieved could have a significant impact on medicine and the environment, as well as on socially relevant applications.ELI ERIC facilities implement a complementary mission with their ultra-high peak power, high repetition rate laser systems and the wide range of secondary sources they generate.
The mission of the ELI Attosecond Light Pulse Source (ELI-ALPS), Szeged, Hungary, is to provide ultrashort pulses at extremely high repetition rates, whose favourable properties are also inherited by secondary light and particle pulses, thus making ultrashort pulses available in a frequency range covering 8 orders of magnitude (from THz to X-ray). The combined presence of these sources allows the study of time-resolved ultrafast processes in the four phases of matter, in the relativistic and non-relativistic range, with resolutions up to attoseconds. The applications of the results include, in addition to those already mentioned, radiation biology, energy research and nanoscience.
The development focus of ELI-Beamlines, Dolní Břežany, Czech Republic, is on the development of short-pulse secondary radiation and particle sources and their multidisciplinary applications in fields such as biomedical engineering, materials science, plasma physics and laboratory astrophysics.
| Short name | ELI ERIC |
| Name | Extreme Light Infrastructure |
| Official website | https://eli-laser.eu/ |
| Year of foundation | ELI-ALPS – 2010 ELI ERIC – 2021 |
| ESFRI projekt/landmark | landmark |
| Headquarters | Dolní Břežany, Czech Republic |
| Number of member countries | 4 |
| Participating countries | members: Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania observer: Bulgaria, Germany |
| Hungary’s accession | 2021 founding member |
| Partner institutions in Hungary |
ELI-HU Nonprofit Kft., University of Szeged |
| Public administration representative |
László Bódis Deputy State Secretary Ministry for Culture and Innovation |
| Professional representative |
Zsolt Fülöp scientific advisor Atomki |
| Membership payments | 2022: 16,302,000 EUR |
Benefits of the membership for Hungary
ELI-ERIC, like other ERIC facilities (under Regulation (EC) No 723/2009), benefit from a VAT exemption for purchases related to their activities. The VAT exemption means lower prices for purchases abroad and therefore lower maintenance costs.
Other benefits:
- participation in ELI-ERIC decision-making processes, direct control over the use of resources and budget,
- developing extensive cooperation with other research centres, increasing synergies and strengthening and expanding R&D capacities,
- participate in decision-making on user needs,
- launching joint research projects, training opportunities for researchers,
- participation in the training of young researchers,
- access to supply for businesses and regional economic recovery.