More than 120 participants from 14 countries to attend the Conference at GIST APRI
An international laser seminar will be held in Korea to mark the 50th anniversary of the invention of the laser, one of the greatest scientific achievements of the 20th Century.
The Advanced Photonics Research Institute (APRI) at Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST) (President Jung-Ho Sonu) announced the hosting of the 12th International Conference on X-Ray Lasers on May 31. With the opening reception and ceremony held on May 30, the six-day long conference will be held until June 4.

Initially held in 1986, this year’s conference is the twelfth of its kind and the first to be held in Korea. The world’s largest conference on x-ray laser was held in Belfast, U.K. in 2008.

The x-ray laser was first developed in the U.S. In contrast to previous x-rays where various wavelengths of light were mixed, the x-ray laser is composed of a single wavelength and has a higher resolution. It is anticipated to play an important role in three dimensional nano imaging and biometric imaging, primarily useful in the diagnosis of cancer.

U.S. and Europe are actively conducting research on the next generation light source. In Korea, APRI is an active player in this field following its success in creating x-ray laser using the high-power laser for the first time in Korea in July 2006.
The conference will proceed with presentations and discussions on x-ray laser light source technology and applied technology, and trends in x-ray optical element technology and high-power laser development.

More than 120 scientists from 14 countries around the world will gather for the event, including Dr. Gwang-Jae Kim of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, a global expert in x-ray laser, Professor Rocca of the University of Colorado, U.S., and Dr. Ishikawa of Sring-eight, a Japanese synchrotron radiation research institute.
The host of the conference, GIST APRI is the mecca in the field of laser research in Korea equipped with its Ultrashort Quantum Beam Facility where a variety of research in lasers is conducted. The high-power x-ray laser system, essential to the research in x-ray laser, is a high-tech research facility only owned by a few advanced countries.
Korea has also been committed on a national level to build a high-power laser system. The Ultrashort Quantum Beam Facility project, led by APRI Chair Professor Jong-Min Lee since 2003, is well underway, with an investment of a total of 65billion Korean Won to be made by 2012 to develop super power laser that can produce 1,000 trillion watt (1 petawatt).

Professor Lee has been long-devoted to hosting this event which will invigorate domestic research in x-ray laser and international joint research projects using the Ultrashort Quantum Beam Facility.

As Chairman of the Korean Organizing Committee, Professor Lee said, “Despite the fact that we are a late-mover in this field, our research capacity was acknowledged by the international society and we managed to host the conference after competing with other advanced countries”. He added, we will strive to “lead, in addition to the development of x-ray laser, the acceleration of electrons and protons, development of x-ray free electron laser using accelerated electron beams and R&D in their application based on the Ultrashort Quantum Beam Facility” and revealed his ambition.