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Published February 5, 2026 | Version v2
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EuPRAXIA@SPARC_LAB Technical Design Report

Creators

  • 1. ROR icon Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati
  • 2. GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung GmbH Planckstraße
  • 3. CNR - Istituto di Struttura della Materia (CNR-ISM)
  • 4. INFN Sezione di Milano
  • 5. GoLP/Instituto de Plasmas e Fusão Nuclear, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa
  • 6. OST Eastern Switzerland University of Applied Sciences
  • 7. Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare
  • 8. ROR icon Sapienza University of Rome
  • 9. ROR icon Elettra-Sincrotrone Trieste S.C.p.A.
  • 10. ROR icon AREA Science Park
  • 11. Universita degli Studi di Roma Tor Vergata
  • 12. ROR icon Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Roma Tor Vergata
  • 13. INFN
  • 14. INFN-LNS
  • 15. University of Catania
  • 16. ROR icon Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Laboratori Nazionali del Sud
  • 17. Università degli Studi di Roma La Sapienza Dipartimento di Fisica
  • 18. ROR icon ENEA Casaccia Research Centre
  • 19. Università degli Studi di Roma La Sapienza
  • 20. ROR icon Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Roma I
  • 21. ROR icon Istituto Officina dei Materiali
  • 22. ROR icon National Research Council
  • 23. ROR icon University of Rome Tor Vergata
  • 24. ROR icon Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY
  • 25. INFN - Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati
  • 26. ROR icon University of Milan
  • 27. ROR icon Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Milano
  • 28. INFN LNF
  • 29. ROR icon Istituto Nazionale di Ottica
  • 30. Università di Camerino, Physics Division, School of Science and Technology
  • 31. ROR icon ENEA Frascati Research Centre
  • 32. ROR icon Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Amministrazione Centrale
  • 33. Università degli Studi di Milano
  • 34. University of California Los Angeles, Department of Physics and Astronomy
  • 35. ROR icon Extreme Light Infrastructure - Nuclear Physics
  • 36. ROR icon Hebrew University of Jerusalem
  • 37. Racah Institute of Physics

Description

The purpose of the EuPRAXIA@SPARC_LAB User Facility is to establish a research infrastructure that pioneers the use of Plasma Wake-Field Acceleration (PWFA) for driving a high-brightness Free-Electron Laser (FEL) user facility in the soft X-ray regime. As one of the two core pillars of the pan-European Plasma Research Accelerator with eXcellence In Applications (EuPRAXIA) Research Infrastructure [1, 2], EuPRAXIA@SPARC_LAB will be hosted at the INFN Frascati National Laboratory (LNF) serving both as a cutting-edge scientific facility for users and as a technological demonstrator [3]. It will validate the integration of highgradient plasma acceleration and X-band RF technology within a compact FEL light source, laying the groundwork for future compact user facilities. This will improve their sustainability by significantly reducing the size, energy consumption, and operational costs typically associated with conventional accelerator-based FEL light sources, making advanced photon science more accessible and environmentally responsible in the long term (see Chapter 21). The user facility is expected to begin operations in 2031. Its first user beamline, AQUA, will deliver ultrashort femtosecond soft X-ray pulses within the biologically relevant “water window” spectrum, enabling real-time imaging, advanced materials development, and investigation of chemical processes with unprecedented spatial and temporal resolution. By transitioning plasma-based accelerators from proof-of-concept to operational systems and validating them under real user facility conditions, EuPRAXIA@SPARC_LAB closes a critical gap in the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) chain (from the current TRL ≈ 5 to the final TRL > 7). This will position Europe at the forefront of global innovation in compact accelerators and strengthen its capacity to lead future high-energy physics, photon science, and interdisciplinary research programs. The inclusion in the European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures (ESFRI) roadmap since 2021 [4] marks the strategic importance of the project at the European level. The realization of the facility entails the construction of new buildings to host the accelerator systems, experimental halls, and support laboratories. This new infrastructure, to be built within the INFN LNF site, represents the project’s first significant step and challenge. From the outset, the design and construction will prioritize incorporating energy-efficient solutions, environmentally responsible materials, and infrastructure choices aligned with long-term ecological and operational resilience. The Technical Design Report (TDR) for the EuPRAXIA@SPARC_LAB facility presents a comprehensive technical reference for the construction and scientific exploitation of the user facility. The TDR is structured to: • Define the scientific and technological objectives of the facility (this Executive Summary); • Outline the scientific cases and user applications (Chapter 2); • Demonstrate feasibility through simulations and design studies (Chapter 3); • Deliver a technical description of the facility and its components including technical readiness and potential risks evaluation (Chapters 4-21); • Support funding efforts and stakeholder engagement (Chapter 22). This Executive Summary aims to define the scientific and technological objectives of the facility and to provide a concise overview of the full TDR, tailored for funding agencies, institutional stakeholders, and expert reviewers. It distills the key content into an accessible format that emphasizes the facility’s maturity, technical feasibility, and scientific relevance. The summary is also intended to support informed decision-making and alignment with European research priorities and funding instruments, particularly those related to ESFRI and Horizon Europe.

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Additional details

Additional titles

Alternative title (English)
EuPRAXIA@SPARC_LAB TDR

Identifiers

Other
INFN–2026-01-LNF

Dates

Accepted
2026-02-05

INFN Experiment

INFN Experiment
EuPRAXIA@SPARC_LAB
Contact person
massimo.ferrario@lnf.infn.it
Experiment URL
https://sparclab.lnf.infn.it/sparc_lab-home/eupraxiasparc_lab/

INFN OAR

Sottoscrivo la dichiarazione legale e accetto l'informativa
Yes