Construction works have begun on the High Power Optics Center in Magurele, Ilfov, an extension of the Extreme Light Infrastructure - Nuclear Physics (ELI-NP) facility in the same locality. The new center will manufacture and repair high-power optical components for use both at ELI-NP and in other leading laser centers in Romania and abroad. The investment amounts to more than RON 190 million.
The High Power Optics Center is being developed in collaboration with Okamoto Optics and the University of Osaka, Japan. It is financed by the government through the Ministry of Development, Public Works and Administration, implemented by the National Investment Company, and its final beneficiary will be the "Horia Hulubei" National Research and Development Institute for Physics and Nuclear Engineering.
"The High Power Optics Center in Magurele will manufacture and finish unique components at reduced costs and with shorter transportation times, becoming the fifth such center in the world. With the construction works launched today, Romania is not only developing the necessary technology, but also streamlining expenses. By establishing this facility, Romania joins Japan, the United States, and France among the countries contributing to the expansion of knowledge in advanced laser systems, research, and innovation. The project is being carried out in close collaboration with two major partners from Japan. (...) The Ministry of Development, through the National Investment Company, has prepared the documentation required for the investment, followed by the signing of the works execution contract," declared Minister of Development Cseke Attila on Wednesday, during a press conference marking the start of the construction of the High Power Optics Center in Magurele.
He noted that the construction will be completed within a maximum of 19 months and that, through this investment, Romania is consolidating its position on the global map of research and innovation while streamlining its research costs.
In his turn, Japanese ambassador in Bucharest Takashi Katae said that that the relationship between Romania and his country has become increasingly closer in recent years and expressed optimism that in the near future products manufactured at the Magurele center will be exported to Japan, expanding bilateral cooperation.
"This investment is both a great challenge and a great opportunity - an opportunity because we can learn from the best. Mr. Ambassador, you represent a country renowned for its rigor, discipline, and high-quality technology. My colleagues from Ilfov and I want to transform Ilfov into a true technology oasis in Romania," said Hubert Thuma, president of the Ilfov County Council.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Development, Public Works and Administration, the High Power Optics Center will supply the optical components required for the uninterrupted and economically efficient operation of the Extreme Light Infrastructure - Nuclear Physics (ELI-NP), the world's most powerful research facility of its kind. Conceived as a user-oriented research center, it will ensure the availability of locally manufactured mirrors at reduced costs and shorter production times. This will make it possible to increase both the number of experiments conducted at ELI-NP and their scientific and applied potential.
"Romania has the most powerful laser system in the world. Therefore, the need arose for a center to supply high-power optics and to develop the technology required to streamline operations economically, while also enabling experiments that expand the frontiers of knowledge," emphasized Cseke Attila.
The new center, equipped with state-of-the-art technologies, will enable the manufacture and repair of large optical components essential for high-power laser applications, thereby strengthening Romania's position on the global research map. 'In this way, we will support the efficient functioning of the ELI-NP Research Center infrastructure and create new opportunities on the international market," added the Minister of Development.
The High Power Optics Center will perform micromechanical and nanometric finishing operations on medium- and large-sized optical components. Its technological processes will include fine grinding using a combined water-sand emulsion in a closed circuit, inspection through interferometry, and the final stage of depositing the finishing layer. Once these stages are completed, the optical elements will be assembled and inspected in dedicated facilities.
The center's infrastructure, designed for the production of large-sized optical components, will also be compatible with manufacturing optical components of standard sizes and specifications, thereby opening access to a broader consumer market.
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