China Begins Construction of Attosecond Laser Facility

China has commenced the construction of the Advanced Attosecond Laser Infrastructure (AALI) aimed at generating attosecond laser pulses that can capture the ultrafast movements of electrons, facilitating advancements in various scientific fields such as quantum computing, biomedicine, and new materials. The facility, developed by the Chinese Academy of Sciences, will consist of sites in Dongguan and Xi’an, featuring 10 beamlines and 22 research terminals, with completion expected within five years. Attosecond lasers allow scientists to observe electron behavior at an extraordinary scale, equivalent to one-quintillionth of a second, which is crucial for understanding microscopic phenomena. This endeavor marks China's second facility of its kind, following a similar project in Hungary, and is anticipated to stimulate high-tech industries. The establishment of AALI is expected to enhance collaboration with other large-scale scientific facilities in Dongguan and leverage the robust research capabilities of universities in Xi'an. Overall, the project signifies a major investment in cutting-edge research infrastructure that could lead to groundbreaking discoveries.