Research into particle acceleration may be on the verge of a revolution. In the ongoing quest to understand the universe, mankind needs new tools to accelerate particles to even higher speeds so that we can delve deeper into the infinitely small building blocks of matter and uncover new secrets. The problem is that conventional particle accelerators rely on increasingly large structures to achieve higher energy levels. Particle acceleration based on laser-plasma interaction is therefore a particularly attractive alternative. This new technology also offers new opportunities for societal applications of accelerators.
In this talk, I will present the rationale for laser-plasma acceleration, our research programme to develop this technology, and some medical applications.