The MBI high-field laser application laboratory (HFL) develops, applies and provides femto- and picosecond laser systems operating in a broad intensity range up to 10¹⁹W/cm² and beyond, complemented by short-pulse, high-average-power lasers for special applications. Apart from the research towards highest possible intensities at ultra-high pulse contrast, part of the activities is focussed on diagnostics development for the on-line characterisation of the laser parameters.

The HFL is located in a separate building with restricted access due to radiation safety and cleanliness considerations. Its structure and equipment allows to perform laser-matter interaction experiments such as single atom ionisation as well as complex laser-plasma interaction studies. The latter include incoherent and coherent x-ray emission (collisional x-ray laser) as well as generation and acceleration of charged particles, with focussing on protons and highly charged ions and their applications. A diversity of diagnostic equipment with high energetic (spectral), spatial and temporal resolution, consisting of optical and x-ray streak cameras, CCD cameras, x-ray and EUV-spectrometers, and Thomson spectrometers is available.

According to the general mission of the MBI these facilities are not only used for the in-house research (mainly projects 1-02, 2-01, 2-02 and 3-04), but also offered to external users who are interested in research collaborations with MBI groups. A broad field of disciplinary and interdisciplinary studies is addressed, ranging from atomic, laser and plasma physics to material science, metrology up to industrial relevant applications. The laboratory is also open to external users within the Transnational Access Activity of the 7th Framework Programme of the EU (Integrated Laser Infrastructure Network LASERLAB-EUROPE). The following systems are in operation:

• Two high-peak power lasers, capable of delivering intensities above 10¹⁹ W/cm² , in particular, a 10 Hz CPA multi-10 TW (40 fs, 1 J) Ti:Sapphire laser and a second 100 TW Ti: Sa amplifier arm for unique proton imaging experiments in laser-based plasma physics has been installed in 2010(cf projects 1.02 and 2.1). Both systems can be optically synchronized with a newly developed XPW frontend.
• Additionally, a prototype of a collisionally excited nickel-like Ag X-ray laser at 13.9 nm driven by a completely new developed and fully diode pumped laser is under development. While this laser is a high-repetition rate (up to 100 Hz) and high average power EUV laser will be available for application (cf projects 1.02 and 2.1).

The following supporting systems and infrastructure are available in the high field laser application laboratory:

• SPIDER for a quasi-on-line control of the duration of the Ti:Sa laser pulse at full energy (10 fs resolution)
• Implementation of an adaptive mirror- feedback with wavefront controlling Hartmann sensor, that resulted in a improvement of the focus intensity, leading to intensities above 10¹⁹W/cm².
• Different beamlines for particle acceleration, X/EUV - generation, ionization studies, new setups will be realized in 2011
• Implementation of a radiation shielded area for high energy particle experiments
• 3rd order correlator for the Ti:Sapphire laser with high dynamics range

Furthermore the HFL-laboratory is equipped with a variety of commercial diagnostics enabling measurements with high spectral, spatial and temporal resolution (optical and x-ray streak and CCD cameras, different spectrometers from optical down to x-ray range).