One shot, game changed: How RAVEN captured a petawatt laser and supercharged fusion research
Scientists have developed a groundbreaking technique called RAVEN that can capture the full complexity of an ultra-intense laser pulse in a single shot—something previously thought nearly impossible. These pulses, capable of accelerating particles to near light speed, were once too fast and chaotic to measure precisely in real time. With RAVEN, researchers can now instantly “photograph” the pulse’s shape, timing, and polarization, revealing subtle distortions that could make or break high-energy experiments. This innovation has huge implications—from perfecting particle acceleration to inching closer to controlled fusion energy and probing new physics.
Scientists have developed a groundbreaking technique called RAVEN that can capture the full complexity of an ultra-intense laser pulse in a single shot—something previously thought nearly impossible. These pulses, capable of accelerating particles to near light speed, were once too fast and chaotic to measure precisely in real time. With RAVEN, researchers can now instantly “photograph” the pulse’s shape, timing, and polarization, revealing subtle distortions that could make or break high-energy experiments. This innovation has huge implications—from perfecting particle acceleration to inching closer to controlled fusion energy and probing new physics.
