The Center of Pulsed Lasers (CLPU) is located in the Scientific Park of the University of Salamanca and is managed by a consortium co-financed by the General Administration of the State, the Junta de Castilla y León and the University of Salamanca.
The centre houses VEGA, a titanium–sapphire laser system with CPA (Chirped Pulsed Amplification) technology capable of operating with a pulse duration of 30 femtoseconds and reaching a peak power of 1 petawatt. The architecture of VEGA is unique worldwide, composed of three perfectly synchronized phases:
VEGAS1, 20 terawatts at 10 shots per second,
VEGA 2, 200 terawatts at 10 shots per second, and
VEGA 3, 1 petawatt at 1 shot per second, being one of the 10 most powerful lasers in the world.
In addition, they have other CPA lasers with a higher repetition frequency and a laser of only 6 femtoseconds of stabilized duration in phase, unique in Spain.
