Tiny laser creates 180,000°F, 800 million times atmospheric pressure in cosmic simulation

A research team from the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), in collaboration with scientists from the European XFEL, has successfully recreated and observed the extreme conditions found inside stars using a much smaller laser than previously employed.

Central to this breakthrough is a copper wire, thinner than a strand of human hair, which plays a crucial role in the new technology.

Explains Dr. Alejandro Laso Garcia, lead author of the paper, “This combination of short-pulse laser and X-ray laser is unique in the world. It was only thanks to the high quality and sensitivity of the X-ray beam that we were able to observe an unexpected effect.”

Increasing copper density with laser

In a series of precise measurements, the scientists varied the timing between the laser pulse and the X-rays passing through the target. This allowed them to create a detailed “X-ray film” of the process.

“First, the laser pulse interacts with the wire and generates a local shock wave that passes through the wire like a detonation and ultimately destroys it,” explains HIBEF department head Dr. Toma Toncian. “But before that, some of the high-energy electrons created when the laser hits, race along the surface of the wire.”

The laser’s impact generated fast-moving electrons that rapidly heated the surface of the copper wire, producing shock waves . These shock waves converged toward the center of the wire, briefly creating extremely high pressures and temperatures.

“Our computer simulations suggest that we have reached a pressure of 800 megabars,” says Thomas Cowan, director of the HZDR Institute of Radiation Physics and initiator of the HIBEF consortium. “That corresponds to 800 million times atmospheric pressure and 200 times the pressure that prevails inside the Earth.”

The measurements revealed that the density of the copper at the center was temporarily increased to eight or nine times that of its normal, cold state. Additionally, the temperature soared to an incredible 180,032 degrees Fahrenheit (100,000 degrees Celsius) —similar to the conditions found in the corona of a white dwarf star .

Beyond astrophysics

The new measurement technique developed by the team holds promise not only for astrophysics but also for advancing other fields of research. “Our experiment shows in an impressive way how we can generate very high densities and temperatures in a wide variety of materials,” explains Ulf Zastrau, head of the HED group at the European XFEL.

This development represents a significant step forward for fusion research, where numerous teams and start-ups globally are working toward creating fusion power plants using high-performance lasers.

The concept involves intense laser flashes striking a fuel capsule made of frozen hydrogen from all directions, igniting it to release more energy than is initially input—an essential milestone for the future of sustainable energy.

“With our method, we could observe in detail what happens inside the capsule when it is hit by the laser pulses,” says Cowan , describing future experiments. “We expect that this can have a huge impact on basic research in this area.”

The study has been published in the journal Nature Communications .