Laserlab-Europe AISBL

Meeting of the Expert Group 'Data analysis in imaging and spectroscopy'
2025-10-14 11:00 - 12:30 (Europe/Berlin)
Members of the expert group have received the meeting link by email.
If you are interested in joining this expert group meeting, please contact Dusan Chorvat (ILC SCSTI).

Lasers4EU & 360Carla Training: High‐Power Lasers for Industrial Applications
2025-10-16 - 2025-10-17 | Dolní Břežany, Dolní Břežany, Czech Republic
Lasers4EU and 360Carla training “High‐Power Lasers for Industrial Application“ will be held on 16 and 17 October 2025 in Dolní Břežany, Czechia. This event is organised by HiLASE Centre / Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, a member of the Laserlab-Europe AISBL.
The training is funded by the Horizon Europe projects Lasers4EU and 360Carla, and aims to provide participants with practical experience and technical know-how on the use of high-power lasers in industrial settings.
Participation in the training is free of charge!
Please note that participants are responsible for arranging their own travel and accommodation and covering any related expenses.

Topics covered during the training

Introduction to high‐average-power diode-pumped solid-state laser systems (e.g., thin-disk lasers, multi-slab lasers)
Fundamentals of selected laser-based techniques and applications:
Laser Shock Peening (LSP)
Laser-Induced Damage Threshold (LIDT)
Laser Micromachining (LMM)
Overview of advanced characterisation devices
Hands-on training at HiLASE facilities
Design of experiment
Laser treatment
Evaluation of results
Laser safety principles

Target audience

University students and early-stage researchers
Researchers and scientists aiming to develop expertise in laser-based technologies
Engineers and professionals working in manufacturing and industrial applications
Non-specialist users from various scientific fields seeking to integrate laser technologies into their work
Industry representatives and new users interested in leveraging high-power laser facilities for research and development

Deadline for applications: July 31, 2025

Apply here

Find out more

Laserlab-Europe & RADIATE User Meeting in Nanoscience
2025-10-19 - 2025-10-21 | Seville, Seville, Spain
The Laserlab-Europe & RADIATE Users’ meeting in Nanoscience will be held in Seville, Spain at Centro Nacional de Aceleradores (CNA) from October 19th (Sunday) to October 21st (Tuesday) 2025. This user meeting is an initiative of the RIANA project which offers transnational access to European research infrastructures in nanoscience and nanotechnology.
The Laserlab-Europe & RADIATE Users’ meeting in Nanoscience aims to share knowledge, explore new frontiers in nanoscience, and strengthen collaborations within our scientific community. The event will bring together experts, researchers, and professionals from both networks to exchange ideas, present ongoing projects, and explore future research opportunities.
During the meeting, participants will engage in discussions on cutting-edge advancements, share insights into their respective fields, and identify potential areas for synergy. Keynote presentations and interactive sessions will allow for a dynamic exchange of knowledge, reinforcing the commitment of both groups to scientific excellence.
Additionally, you will find many opportunities for networking and socializing with colleagues in the interesting social program that includes a welcome reception, CNA tour and gala dinner for all the attendees.
Should you need more information, please do not hesitate to contact us (radlas.iaba@uam.es).

Important dates
Abstract submission opens end of May 2025Abstract submission deadline: 10 July 2025Acceptance letters by 31 July 2025

Event website

RIANA project

Meeting of the expert group 'Laser science for cultural heritage'
2025-10-22 14:00 - 15:30 | Online
Members of the expert group have received the meeting link by email.
If you are interested in joining this expert group meeting, please contact Sara Mosca (CLF).

Meeting of the Expert Group 'Lasers for clean Energy'
2025-10-24 11:30 - 13:00 | Online
Members of the expert group have received the meeting link by email.
If you are interested in joining this expert group meeting, please contact Giulio Cerullo (POLIMI) and Panagiotis Loukakos (ULF-FORTH).

Lasers4EU Training: Hands-on Course on MINDLAB: Manipulating and Investigating Neural Dynamics for Learning and Ageing in the Brain
2025-11-04 - 2025-11-07 | Castelldefels, Castelldefels, Barcelona, Spain
In collaboration with the EC (co-)funded projects Lasers4EU, 360 CARLA and fastMOT
The core faculty of the ICFO-MINDLAB, a think tank working jointly towards a transdisciplinary understanding of the brain, offers a school to introduce cutting edge technologies to study neuroscience at the molecular, cellular and systems level to students in a combination of lectures and hands-on experience leading to group projects.
What is MINDLAB?
MINDLAB stands for “Manipulating and Investigating Neural Dynamics for Learning and Ageing in the Brain” and is an interdisciplinary creative playground rooted squarely in academic rigor, comprising of research groups from ICFO and beyond. We focus on advancing fundamental knowledge on how the mind emerges from the behavior of individual molecules, neurons and brain networks but also creating and commercializing transformational future technologies with outstanding potential to impact our society for good.
Hence, this course will expose participants to the state-of-the-art of photonics-based technologies tailored to monitor a hierarchy of scales in the study of the brain: i.e. from single molecules up to the whole organism.
The MINDLAB faculty includes world leading experts in their fields. The expertise of the core faculty is complemented by a diverse set of affiliated adjunct faculty from various research centres in Barcelona but also through clinical and corporate partners.
This year’s school will open with the Annual Meeting of the Barcelona Medical Photonics Network (BMPN). BMPN is a platform to promote the research and development activities in photonics being carried out in the Barcelona region through long-standing collaborations between ICFO and its biomedical and clinical partners. Always centered around a targeted clinical area, this forth edition of the BMPN annual meeting is perfectly aligned with the scope of MINDLAB. By addressing real-world healthcare challenges, BMPN will set the stage for the training program, providing essential context and inspiration for participants. The speakers and audience will include clinicians as well as technology developers and innovation managers, from the Network but also professionals and collaborators from outside the region.
Hands-on sessions
Participants will engage in lab sessions focused on the latest photonics technologies. Each lab session will provide participants with an opportunity to work directly with advanced equipment and gain valuable practical skills.
The sessions will take place in the following labs:

Super resolution Light microscopy and Nanoscopy
Neurophotonics and Mechanical Systems Biology
Medical Optics
Photon Harvesting in Plants and Biomolecules
Single Molecules Biophotonics

Eligibility
We welcome applications from motivated students and early-stage researchers across a range of disciplines: physics, optics, engineering, electronics, mathematics, chemistry, biology, and related fields.
Priority will be given to master’s-level and advanced undergraduate students, though PhD candidates and young postgraduates are also encouraged to apply.
How To Apply
There is NO fee for students to attend the school.
Applicants must submit:

A Curriculum Vitae, including contact details.
A statement of purpose outlining their motivation for attending the school.

Applications must be submitted online, and all required application material must be complete in order to be considered.
The deadline for applications is September 30, 2025.Successful applicants will be notified during the week of October 6 August, 2025.
For any questions, please contact us at frontiers@icfo.eu

More information

HZDR Data Management Days 2025 – Shaping Research Data Practices with Lasers4EU
2025-11-11 13:00 - 17:00
This year’s HZDR Data Management Days will take place from Tuesday, 11 November (1 p.m.) to Wednesday, 12 November (3 p.m.), featuring a mix of lectures and interactive workshops.The programme on 12 November is only for internal participants.
In the context of advancing digitalisation and an ever-increasing need for reproducibility, this year’s event will focus on the data and software management landscape in general and at HZDR in particular.
HZDR colleagues will share insights into typical challenges in data and software management and present practical solutions developed in their daily work.
On 11 November, the lectures will be held in a hybrid format and are open to external participants. Lasers4EU partners are warmly invited to join the online sessions.
A session of particular relevance for the Lasers4EU community will address data management planning using RDMO (Research Data Management Organiser). As funding agencies increasingly require Data Management Plans (DMPs) defining how data and metadata are handled during and after projects, the HZDR instance of RDMO, accessible via Helmholtz ID, supports collaborative preparation of DMPs, even with external partners.
Within this context, the Lasers4EU project serves as a potential use case for tailoring generic DMP questionnaires to specific needs, distinguishing between questions for proposing scientists, access-providing facilities, and repository providers. The session will therefore be of direct interest to Lasers4EU partners involved in data management, access coordination, and research infrastructure development.
For more information and the full programme, please visit HZDR Data Management Days 2025

Laserlab-Europe Talk: Nonlinear optical diode effect in a magnetic Weyl semimetal
2025-11-26 16:00 - 17:00 | Online
Speaker: Christian Tzschaschel (University of Zurich)
Weyl semimetals have emerged as a promising quantum material system to discover novel electrical and optical phenomena, due to their combination of nontrivial quantum geometry and strong symmetry breaking. Here, I will present the observation of the nonlinear optical diode effect (NODE) in the magnetic Weyl semimetal CeAlSi, where the magnetic state of CeAlSi introduces a pronounced directionality in the nonlinear optical second-harmonic generation (SHG). By physically reversing the beam path, we show that the measured SHG intensity can change by at least a factor of six between forward and backward propagation over a wide bandwidth exceeding 250 meV. Supported by density-functional theory calculations, we establish the linearly dispersive bands emerging from Weyl nodes as the origin of the extreme bandwidth. By utilizing the electronically conductive semimetallic nature of CeAlSi, we demonstrate current-induced magnetization switching and thus electrical control of the NODE in a mesoscopic spintronic device structure. Our results advance ongoing research to identify novel nonlinear optical/transport phenomena in magnetic topological materials. The NODE further opens new pathways for the unidirectional manipulation of light such as electrically controlled optical isolators [1].
[1] CT et al., Nature Communications 15, 3017 (2024)

Watch the Talk

Meeting of the Laserlab-Europe expert group on laser-generated EMP
2025-11-27 - 2025-11-28
The Laserlab-Europe Expert Group on laser-generated electromagnetic pulses (EMPs) will be holding their regular workshop at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory this year. It will be a two day event, featuring oral and poster presentations and ending with a round table discussion.
In experiments involving high power lasers, a significant portion of the incoming laser energy is converted into transient electromagnetic pulses (EMPs), composed of radiation at radio, microwave and THz frequencies. These EMP fields scale with laser energy and intensity and can easily exceed the MV/m magnitude – strong enough to disrupt or imperil electronic devices placed near the experimental vacuum chamber.
The physics of EMP production is closely related to many topics of active research within the laser-plasma community. At previous meetings of the Laserlab expert group we have had talks on a range of fascinating subjects, including: the physics of target charging and fast currents, generating strong magnetic fields with lasers, ion acceleration and beam transport, radiobiological studies, terahertz radiation from solid targets, electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) and techniques for reducing EMP emission.
The workshop will take place on 27 and 28 November 2025 in the Visitor Centre of the Rutherford Appleton laboratory.
The link to register for the conference is here: https://forms.office.com/e/BPpJ6Xs7Pr
Registration deadline: Friday, 26 September 2025
If you would prefer to submit your abstract after you have registered, then send the abstract to philip.bradford@stfc.ac.uk before close of day on Friday 3rd October. Please indicate in your email whether you would like to be considered for an oral or poster presentation.
Those attending in person will have to arrange their own accommodation. Travel from Abingdon to the conference venue will be arranged by the organisers. More details about suggested hotels can be found on the registration form.

Register here

NEILS annual meeting
2025-12-08 - 2025-12-09 | Palaiseau, France
The Annual Meeting of the Laserlab-Europe Expert Group NEILS will take place at LULI, Palaiseau, on December 8–9, 2025.
For further information please contact the expert group chair Zsuzsanna Major (GSI).

Expert Group 'Network on extreme intensity laser systems (NEILS)'

Laserlab-Europe Talk: Non-invasive photoacoustic imaging for in-depth cultural heritage diagnostics
2025-12-10 16:00 - 17:00 | Online
Speakers: Eleanna Pirgianaki (IESL-FORTH)
In recent years, photoacoustic (PA) techniques have gained significant role in the field of cultural heritage (CH) diagnostics, proving to be powerful tools for the detailed investigation of complex and fragile objects such as paintings, documents and murals. These techniques are based on the PA effect, which involves the generation of acoustic waves as a result of the absorption of intensity-variable optical radiation. The excitation and detection of PA signals through spectroscopic or imaging modalities is non-invasive and non-destructive and provides high optical absorption sensitivity at substantial depths within opaque media, surpassing the performance of several purely optical diagnostic methods.
In this context, we present a novel reflection-mode PA system integrating near-infrared pulsed excitation light and a spherically focused air-coupled ultrasonic transducer for the detection of the generated PA waves. The system is specifically developed to detect in-depth ageing effects in painted mock-ups and to reveal hidden underdrawings, such as pencil sketches, beneath non-transparent paint layers. To assess the performance of the system in detecting degradation phenomena, PA responses were recorded from different pigmented layers that had undergone controlled thermal or photo-ageing treatments. The measurements revealed a progressive increase in the PA amplitude over time, with distinct deterioration rates observed for various types of paint.
Additionally, by employing a second-harmonic excitation wavelength at 532 nm and comparing the PA signal ratios obtained from the two excitation lines, we aimed to enhance the method’s detection sensitivity while also expanding its applicability. Beyond the investigation of ageing effects in painted mock-ups, the developed dual-wavelength PA approach enabled the identification of corrosion levels in various metals and alloys, differentiation among inks of similar visual appearance, and detection of degradation effects in artificially aged papers. Overall, these results highlight the strong potential of PA detection as a complementary diagnostic technique to traditional methods, offering highly sensitive and non-destructive insights into degradation mechanisms and subsurface features across a broad range of CH artifacts.

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RIANA Webinar: Additive-Subtractive Synergy in Ultrafast Digital Manufacturing
2025-12-17 15:00 - 16:30
Title: Additive-Subtractive Synergy in Ultrafast Digital Manufacturing: Tunable Femtosecond-to-Picosecond Laser Processing for Highly Selective Ablation and Printing in Thin-Film Electronics and Photovoltaic Applications.
Speaker: Catalin Constantinescu, CNRS-LP3 (Laserlab-Europe)
Date: 17 Dec 2025, 15:00-16:30 Central European Time
The convergence of additive and subtractive digital manufacturing is essential for producing multifunctional micro-/ and nano-structured devices with high spatial precision. This talk presents a unified fabrication platform based on a tunable femtosecond-to-picosecond ultrafast laser system, enabling both highly-selective ablation, and printing, to be performed on a single optical setup, without significant reconfiguration. By tuning the pulse duration from fs to ps, we access a controlled transition from non-thermal, electronically driven ablation to thermally assisted material transfer, providing a powerful degree of freedom in processing hybrid organic/inorganic thin films, functional multilayers, and metal nanoparticle inks. This tuneability allows one to engineer selective ablation thresholds, tailor jet dynamics in printing, and optimize feature resolution and material integration. Furthermore, a discussion on how laser-matter selectivity emerges from contrasts in absorption, bonding energy, thermal diffusion length, and layer architecture, is presented. Time-resolved microscopy and post-process characterization reveal how these parameters govern interface response and deterministic control of etching and printing. Such additive-subtractive synergy opens streamlined pathways for fabricating photonic components, flexible electronics, surface sensors, and lab-on-chip devices, as well as next-generation photovoltaic architectures, including organic/inorganic hybrid thin films. These results demonstrate how tunable fs-ps laser processing redefines precision digital manufacturing for scalable functional device integration.

Registration

About RIANA

Laserlab-Europe Talk: Laser produced plasmas (LPP) and LPP SXR/EUV sources for laboratory astrochemistry
2026-01-28 16:00 - 17:00 | Online
Speaker: Andrzej Bartnik (MUT-IOE)
Many experiments relevant to various processes in Space were devoted to support interpretation of astronomic observations. The experiments concern formation of astrophysical jets, photoionized plasmas in accretion disks around compact stars, supernovae explosions, matter formed inside giant planets, formation of interstellar dust, molecular processes in interstellar ices, formation of tholins etc. It is so called laboratory astrophysics or astrochemistry.
Some of these experiments require using of high power discharge or laser systems, for some experiments, especially concerning laboratory astrochemistry, synchrotrons, VUV lamps or small scale discharge plasma systems were employed. Some experiments can be, however, performed using laser produced plasma (LPP) soft X-ray (SXR) or extreme ultraviolet (EUV) sources. Some attempts were performed using sources developed in Institute of Optoelectronics, MUT.
The sources utilize gas puff targets and nanosecond, Nd:YAG laser systems. The most intense emission in the SXR or EUV range can be obtained from Xe plasmas, however, in some cases other gases or aerosols are employed. The sources are equipped with the corresponding EUV/SXR optical systems. Some experiments are performed in an ambient gas, under low pressure. Both kind of systems, with and without optics, can be employed for investigation of molecular processes relevant to SXR/EUV induced processes in interstellar clouds, atmospheres of planets or comets. Initial experiments were performed, a series of further experiments is planned.

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Laserlab-Europe Talk: Laser processing of functional micro/nanostructures for photonics, optoelectronics, and smart surfaces
2026-02-25 16:00 - 17:00 | Online
Speaker: Maria Kandyla (National Hellenic Research Foundation)
The need for advanced materials and systems with new functionalities has motivated the development of micro/nanostructures on solid surfaces, which are necessary for the fabrication of functional devices for novel applications. In this talk, we will discuss the development of functional micro/nanostructures, based on laser-processed surfaces.
Coating micro/nanostructures with thin metallic films results in plasmonic substrates with enhanced electromagnetic response across the entire visible range, which are used for plasmonic optical trapping [1]. Combining silicon micro/nanostructures with thin semiconducting films results in electronic heterojunctions with increased surface area for improved optoelectronic performance [2]. Furthermore, isotype heterojunctions result in wavelength-selective, high-speed photodetectors with self-powered operation, which can be further engineered by careful selection of the electronic properties of the constituting materials [3,4]. “Smart” surfaces of controllable extreme wetting states are obtained by combining photoresponsive metal oxides with laser-processed micro/nanostructured substrates, which can reach complete water repellence without chemical modification [5]. Also, surfaces with controlled topography, either at the micro- or at the nano-scale, for targeted cell cultures for biomedical applications [6]. We will present recent advances in these fields and discuss future applications.
References

D.G. Kotsifaki, M. Kandyla, and P.G. Lagoudakis, Plasmon enhanced optical tweezers with gold-coated black silicon, Scientific Reports 6, 26275 (2016).
G. Chatzigiannakis, A. Jaros, R. Leturcq, J. Jungclaus, T. Voss, S. Gardelis, and M. Kandyla, Laser-microstructured ZnO/p-Si photodetector with enhanced and broadband responsivity across the ultraviolet-visible-near-infrared range, ACS Applied Electronic Materials 2, 2819 (2020).
G. Chatzigiannakis, A. Jaros, R. Leturcq, J. Jungclaus, T. Voss, S. Gardelis, and M. Kandyla, Broadband wavelength-selective isotype heterojunction n+-ZnO/n-Si photodetector with variable polarity, Journal of Alloys and Compounds 903, 163836 (2022).
M.D. Tsanakas, A. Jaros, Y. Fleming, M. Efthimiadou, T. Voss, R. Leturcq, S. Gardelis, and M. Kandyla, Wavelength-selective, high-speed, self-powered isotype heterojunction n+-ZnO/n-Si photodetector with engineered and tunable spectral response, Advanced Materials Technologies 10, 2401740 (2025).
M. Kanidi, A. Bardakas, A. Kerasidou, A. Anastasopoulos, C. Tsamis, and M. Kandyla, Hierarchical ‘rose-petal’ ZnO/Si surfaces with reversible wettability reaching complete water repellence without chemical modification, Applied Physics A 129, 320 (2023).
M. Kanidi, A. Papadimitropoulou, C. Charalampous, Z. Chakim, G. Tsekenis, A. Sinani, C. Riziotis, and M. Kandyla, Regulating MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell adhesion on laser-patterned surfaces with micro- and nanotopography, Biointerphases 17, 021002 (2022).

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RIANA webinar "Small-Angle Scattering Applied to Bio and Nanomaterials"
2026-03-12 15:00 - 17:00 | Online
Speaker: Debasish Saha, Juelich centre for Neutron Science (JCNS), Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH, Germany
Small-Angle Scattering (SAS) is a powerful technique that provides information about the structural organization of matter and intra- and or intermolecular interactions in the system at different external conditions. The length scales obtained from the analysis of SAS data are within the limit of a few nanometers to a few hundred nanometers. Among different SAS techniques, Small-Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS) provides excellent resolution and shorter measurement time, enable us to study different in situ formation of nanomaterials.
However, such benefits are mostly limited to high atomic number (Z) materials, whereas provides poor contrast for low-Z materials, especially for biological systems. On the other hand, the isotope labelling and solvent-contrast variation in Small-Angle Neutron Scattering (SANS) gives an excellent opportunity to extract unique information of individual components in multi-component heterogenous complexes. In addition, the magnetic moment of neutrons allows to study magnetism and magnetic materials at the nanoscale using the magnetic-SANS technique. In this talk, the basics of small-angle scattering and its applications in bio and nanomaterials will be discussed.
Learn more about the RIANA project: https://riana-project.eu/

1st RIANA Users Meeting in nanoscience and nanotechnology
2026-03-16 - 2026-03-18 | Heraklion, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
Registrations for the 1st RIANA Users Meeting and the RIANA Annual Meeting is now open!
The meeting will take place at the premises of the Foundation for Research and Technology–Hellas (FORTH) in Heraklion, Crete, Greece.
1st Users Meeting: 16–18 March 2026RIANA Annual Meeting: 18–20 March 2026
Remote participation will be available for those unable to attend in person.
The 1st RIANA Users Meeting offers a unique opportunity to present your project ideas, showcase results, and connect with fellow researchers and RIANA facility representatives. We anticipate that the Principal Investigator of each Access Project, or a delegate, will participate in person, contributing with an oral presentation, sharing their valuable insights and fostering discussions within the RIANA community. Additional participants are welcome to join remotely.
We look forward to meeting you in Heraklion and making the 1st RIANA Users Meeting a lively and productive event!
Please note: The registration deadline is 31/12/2025.

More information

Registration

Conference PE125 - Data Science for Photonics and Biophotonics II
2026-04-12 - 2026-04-16 | Strasbourg, France
Thomas Bocklitz, newly appointed chair of the DAIS Expert Group and chair of the “Data Science for Photonics and Biophotonics II”, a sub-conference at Photonics Europe, invites all interested scientists to submit an abstract and contribute to advancing the analysis of optical and photonic data to obtain higher-level, application-oriented information.
Important dates
Abstract submission deadline: 12 November 2025
Author notification: 19 January 2026
Manuscript due: 25 March 2026

Event website

Laserlab-Europe Talk: Materials and post-processes for multi-photon lithography
2026-04-29 16:00 - 17:00 | Online
Title: Materials and post-processes for multi-photon lithographySpeaker: Dimitra Ladika (VULRC)Date: Wednesday, 29 April 2026, 16:00-17:00 Central European Summer Time (CEST)
Multi-photon lithography (MPL) enables the fabrication of true 3D micro- and nanostructures without the need for masks or complex tooling, directly from computer-aided designs. Owing to these unique capabilities, MPL has emerged as a powerful manufacturing technique across a wide range of disciplines. The ongoing growth of MPL is closely linked to advances in material design and post-processing strategies.
In particular, the composition of MPL photoresists, including the presence or absence of photoinitiators, plays a critical role in defining fabrication thresholds, resolution, and the optical properties of the resulting structures. While photoinitiators can enhance polymerization efficiency, they may also introduce fluorescence and coloration, limiting their use in certain applications. In contrast, photoinitiator-free and doped systems offer alternative pathways toward improved optical performance. The interaction of these materials with femtosecond laser irradiation across multiple wavelengths provides additional flexibility for controlling polymerization and tailoring spectral response.
Additionally, post-processing approaches, such as calcination and surface coatings, further extend the capabilities of MPL by enabling the fabrication of fully inorganic and spectrally adaptable architectures. These strategies enhance the functionality and stability of the fabricated 3D structures without fundamentally altering the initial material platform.
Overall, these developments demonstrate the potential of material-driven approaches in MPL for applications in photonics and optoelectronics.

Watch the LLE Talk

Laserlab-Europe Talk: Elucidating the Photon Migration Effects in Incubated Chicken Eggs using Time-Domain Diffuse Optics
2026-05-20 16:00 - 17:00 | Online
Title: Elucidating the Photon Migration Effects in Incubated Chicken Eggs using Time-Domain Diffuse Optics Speaker: Lennard van den Tweel (Wageningen University and Research) Date: Wednesday, 20 May 2026, 16:00 Central European Summer Time (CEST)
The early and non-invasive assessment of chicken embryonic sex and viability is of great interest. This interest is driven by the ethical dilemma surrounding the culling of non-productive day-old male chicks in layer-hen production and by the need to improve hatchery efficiency. Optical techniques are widely investigated for these applications, but are challenged by the complex optical properties and heterogeneous structure of avian eggs. Here, we show that chicken eggs display unusual photon trapping behavior due to the eggshell behaving like an integrating sphere, considerably extending photon time-of-flight. Time-domain diffuse optical spectroscopy (TD-DOS) on egg phantoms, supported by Monte Carlo simulations and post-dispersive filtering experiments, rule out fluorescence as the source for the long photon time-of-flight. These results point to diffuse reflections at the inner surface of the eggshell as the source of the long photon time-of-flight. Despite these boundary effects, the retrieval of internal bulk optical properties remains feasible via inversion of the diffusion approximation after selection of appropriate boundary conditions, as was demonstrated in incubated eggs. Finally, phantom experiments illustrate how the integrating sphere affects the temporal response of time-resolved Raman and fluorescence measurements, highlighting critical challenges in non-invasive optical characterization of avian embryos.

Registration

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Laserlab-Europe and Lasers4EU Annual and Users Meeting 2026
2026-05-26 - 2026-05-29 | Dolní Břežany, Dolní Břežany, Czech Republic
The joint annual meeting of the Laserlab-Europe AISBL and the Horizon Europe project Lasers4EU offers a central forum for networking and collaboration, bringing together representatives of leading research institutes, industry representatives and early-stage researchers to discuss the latest developments in laser-based technologies and their scientific and industrial applications. The Annual Meeting, held in a hybrid format, will take place from 26 to 29 May 2026 at HiLASE Centre and ELI Beamlines in Dolní Břežany, Czechia.
We look forward to welcoming you to an engaging and insightful event!

Register to the Annual Meeting 2026

Apply for the Poster Session

Programme

Sessions and supplementary programme (open to all)

The following thematic sessions and supplementary events are open to participants from outside Laserlab-Europe and Lasers4EU.
A dedicated poster area will showcase the research results of early-stage researchers.
An exhibition area will be available for interested companies.
All participants and company representatives are invited to contribute to the discussions at the end of each session.

Thematic sessions:

Lasers in the Future Development of Space

Unlocking Stories from the Past: Laser-based Technology for Cultural Heritage
In this session we will explore how cutting-edge laser and spectroscopy techniques are transforming the study, preservation and understanding of cultural heritage. From non-invasive imaging and advanced material characterization to conservation and diagnostics of historical artefacts: presentations will highlight scientific breakthroughs from fundamental research to applications that bridge academia and industry demonstrating how laser-based methods reveal hidden histories and support sustainable preservation of our shared cultural treasures.

AI for Laser-based Systems
AI and data science are crucial to link advanced photonic research to application scenarios like in clinics or environmental monitoring. This session focuses on the methodologies allowing the use of AI in small samples size scenarios, which typically arise in photonics-oriented research. Examples would be physical inspired augmentation strategies, transfer learning, physics informed neural networks, but also includes AI based optimization of measurements, components and setups.

New high-intensity Laser Applications in Health
This session focuses on emerging biomedical applications of high-intensity laser technologies, with emphasis on laser-driven particle sources and laser-based approaches to radionuclide production. Laser-accelerated electrons, protons, and heavier ions will be discussed, highlighting their characteristic beam parameters and their potential role as complementary tools to conventional accelerator facilities. The session will cover the current state of the field as well as future prospects, including the timelines for a potential clinical translation.

Supplementary programme:

Lab Tours at HiLASE Centre and ELI Beamlines
Exhibition area
Poster area & poster session

Lasers4EU activities (internal events)

Workshop on Standardised Performance Assessment
High-end laser facilities within the Lasers4EU consortium serve a broad user community, from fundamental attosecond science to medical and industrial applications. Ensuring that these facilities provide reliable, reproducible and comparable results increasingly depends on robust, transparent and, where possible, standardised performance assessment. During the workshop, the subgroups developing protocols for standardised performance assessment adaptable to specific communities will present their work and results.

Lasers4EU General Assembly Meeting
The Lasers4EU General Assembly will bring together project partners to review the achievements of the consortium collaboration and to plan the next steps for the project.

Meeting of the Industrial Advisory Committee (IAC)
The Lasers4EU IAC meeting will bring together industry and project partners to shape the strategic direction of the project. Members will provide input on innovation needs, exploitation opportunities, and the integration of industry perspectives into project activities. Their expertise will help ensure Lasers4EU stays closely aligned with market demands.

Industry-Focused Roundtable: Needs, Trends and Consortium Response
This session, held as part of the first Lasers4EU User Meeting, is dedicated to strengthening collaboration with industrial partners. Following an introduction to the dedicated industry access route, participants will be invited to discuss priority areas, technical challenges, and emerging trends within their respective sectors. The roundtable offers a direct platform for the Consortium to demonstrate how its specialised facilities and expertise can address real-world industrial challenges.

Laserlab-Europe AISBL activities (internal events)

Laserlab-Europe AISBL General Assembly Meeting: The Laserlab-Europe AISBL General Assembly will bring together the association members to discuss strategies and coordinate upcoming collaborative initiatives.

This website will be updated regularly. Further information will follow.

Register to the Annual Meeting 2026

Apply for the Poster Session

2nd RIANA Training School on Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
2026-06-01 - 2026-06-04 | Dresden, Dresden, Germany
Would you like to learn about nanoscience and nanotechnology including material nano-structuring and characterization techniques, especially based on ion beams?
Join the 2nd RIANA Training School and gain exclusive insights into the cutting-edge world of nanoscience and nanotechnology.
This program offers PhD students and young postdoctoral researchers a unique opportunity to explore key technologies, covering the following topics including 6 hands-on trainings.

Ion Beam Basics
Accelerators and instrumentation
Ion beam analysis
Simulation of ion beam damage
Focused ion beam instrumentation
Applications of focused ion beams
Surface patterning using low energy ion beams

OVERVIEW
Registration is free (no fees) and for the selected applicants the program includes:

Accommodation (single room with breakfast)
Coffee breaks and snacks at evening poster session and a social event (lunch is at the participant’s own expense and can be taken at the local canteen).
Presentations and hands-on trainings led by renowned scientific experts and top researchers.
Hands-on Training on the following techniques:

Rutherford Backscattering
Particle induced X-ray emission
Nuclear reaction analysis
FIB based sample preparation
FIB based defect engineering
Scanning Auger microscopy

Poster Session offering you the chance to present your work and engage with experts from various sectors (including the best poster award).
Social Events to expand your professional network.
Possibility for a limited number of people to stay for a Workshop on Low-Energy Ion Scattering (LEIS) on Friday June 5th 2026 at the same place.

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
You are:

a PhD student
a young researcher/ postdoc (< 5 years after PhD defense) studying / working at a European research institute or university in the Nanoscience & Nanotechnology sector.

Maximum number of participants: 24.

APPLICATION PROCESS
The application procedure consists of submitting:

a form with your personal data
an abstract for the poster session (should be related to Nanoscience & Nanotechnology)

Please download Poster_Abstract_RIANA_Template from the lower right corner of this page. You should upload your abstract while registering.
Participation in the 2nd RIANA Training School on Nanoscience and Nanotechnolgy is subject to review by the scientific and the organizing committee.
CALENDAR
February 2, 2026: Abstract submission opening
March 13, 2026: Abstract submission deadline
March 30, 2026: Notification of acceptance
April 1, 2026: Registration opening
April 30, 2026: Registration deadline
June 1-4, 2026: 2nd RIANA Training School

THRILL Summer School 2026
2026-06-07 17:00 - 2026-06-13 09:00 | Hirschegg, Oberseitestr. 38, Hirschegg, 87568, Austria
The next THRILL Summer School will take place from 7 to 13 June 2026 at the Darmstädter Haus in Hirschegg, Austria. The focus of the school will be on Applications of High Energy / High Power Lasers. PhDs and early career scientists are invited to register through the event website before 15 March 2026.
Lectures and hands-on sessions on the following topics will be included:

Warm-dense matter research, magnetic field generation, dynamic compression of materials
Secondary sources of particles and radiation for medical applications and high-field QED
Inertial Fusion Energy
Nuclear Photonics
Laboratory Astrophysics

More information and registration
Timeline for registration:

2nd February 2026: applications open
15th March 2026: applications close
1st April 2026: participants will be informed about successful application

If your institute is not a member of the THRILL consortium, a participation fee of €500,00 applies.

Starts: 7 Jun 2026, 17:00 CEST
Ends: 13 Jun 2026, 09:00 CEST

Darmstädter Haus
Oberseitestr. 38
D- 87568 Hirschegg
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Laserlab-Europe Talk: Medical Radionuclide Production by Laser Wakefield Acceleration
2026-06-10 16:00 - 17:00 | Online
Title: Medical Radionuclide Production by Laser Wakefield AccelerationSpeaker: Dino Jaroszynski (University of Strathclyde)Date: Wednesday, 10 June 2026, 16:00 Central European Summer Time (CEST)
We present a study of the production of 67Cu medical radioisotopes using bremsstrahlung radiation produced by 150 pC bunches of high energy electrons from a laser wakefield accelerator (LWFA) when they interact with dense convertor material. The experiments demonstrating photonuclear production of radioisotopes have been carried out at the Scottish Centre for the Application of Plasma-based accelerators (SCAPA). 10 kBq of 67Cu was produced by irradiating enriched 68Zn over a five-hour irradiation period at approximately 1 Hz repetition rate, which provides an important experimental benchmark. This work assesses the performance of current LWFA systems and establishes the requirements of future commercial LWFA-based systems and extrapolations suggests that the next stage of development. A facility based on optically pumped CO2 laser technologies could potentially achieve clinically relevant activity levels of 67Cu. The project is part of the MedRadLaser collaboration between the University of Strathclyde, National Physical Laboratory, the University of the West of Scotland, and the UK Atomic Energy Authority. The studies will be extended and form part of the newly funded EUPOPA project.
The MedRadLaser collaboration involves Giuseppe Lorusso[1], Dino A. Jaroszynski[2], David O’Donnell[3], S. Mark Wiggins[2], Baris Bingol[2], Peter Ivanov[1], Ben Russel[1], and Lanre Yusuf[1]
[1] NPL Science and Engineering Directorate, UK[2] Department of Physics, Scottish Universities Physics Alliance, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK[3] School of Computing, Engineering and Physical Sciences, Scottish Universities Physics Alliance, University of the West of Scotland, Paisley, UK

Registration

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