In the latest ATAP Newsletter, learn how our researchers are advancing particle accelerator science and its applications. This work harnesses artificial intelligence to improve high-power lasers for scientific and industrial applications, develops new technologies to unlock the potential of fusion, and pioneers innovative, cutting-edge techniques to drive advancements in quantum technologies.

For example, a team of researchers from ATAP’s Berkeley Accelerator Controls & Instrumentation Program, the BELLA Center, and the Lab’s Engineering Division is utilizing machine learning (ML) to stabilize a high-power laser. This work marks the first successful application of ML-enabled predictive control for stabilizing a high-power, low-repetition-rate laser from the main beam of the Lab’s BELLA Petawatt laser facility. It could lead to breakthroughs in the development of next-generation laser-plasma accelerators (LPAs), support advancements in fusion, and enhance medical treatments.

From designing, constructing, and testing high-performance magnets to advanced plasma modeling, ATAP researchers are working alongside colleagues from the Lab’s other divisions to develop critical technologies for advancing inertial confinement fusion and magnetic confinement fusion. They also hold leadership roles in organizations advancing this and related research, including LaserNetUS and the American Physical Society’s Division of Plasma Physics.

Researchers from our BELLA Center and Fusion Science & Ion Beam Technology Program have developed a suite of compact, permanent-magnet-based beam transport systems optimized for laser-driven proton beams. This innovative and practical approach addresses current limitations in laser-driven ion accelerators, paving the way for their broader application.

Our BELLA Center researchers have also analyzed how beam performance can be increased, particularly for beams above 10 GeV, as the plasma density increases with the laser pulse traveling deeper into the LPA channel. This work represents a crucial step in advancing the development of compact accelerators for applications ranging from free-electron lasers and high-energy particle colliders to microelectronics and nuclear detection.

Nurturing future generations of science and technology professionals is essential to the Lab’s mission. In May, representatives from ATAP and the Lab’s Advanced Light Source, the National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center, the Energy Geosciences Division, and the Department of Energy’s Energy Sciences Network attended the annual Oakland Unified School District STEM Fair. Continuing our proud tradition of fostering future accelerator researchers, a strong contingent of researchers from ATAP will teach a course at the U.S. Particle Accelerator School (USPAS) Summer session, scheduled for July 28 to August 8, 2025.

Congratulations to Eric Esarey, director of the BELLA Center, for being awarded the 2025 USPAS Prize for Achievement in Accelerator Science and Technology. This award honors his outstanding contributions to plasma acceleration concepts and his pioneering theoretical research in the physics of laser-plasma accelerators. Congratulations also to Jean-Luc Vay, head of our Advanced Modeling Program, for receiving the 2025 Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Nuclear and Plasma Sciences Society’s Particle Accelerator Science and Technology Award. Well done on your awards, Eric and Jean-Luc, which acknowledge your significant contributions to accelerator science and applications.

Written by Carl A. Williams or other authors as credited.

For more information on ATAP News articles, contact caw@lbl.gov.