DOI: 10.1140/epjst/e2014-02176-0 THE EUROPEAN PHYSICAL JOURNAL SPECIAL TOPICS Review Nuclear Physics with 10PW laser beams at Extreme Light Infrastructure – Nuclear Physics (ELI-NP)

Abstract. The field of the uncharted territory of high-intensity laser interaction with matter is confronted with new exotic phenomena and, consequently, opens new research perspectives. The intense laser beams interacting with a gas or solid target generate beams of electrons, pro-tons and ion. These beams can induce nuclear reactions. Electrons also generate ions high-energy photons via bremsstrahlung processes which can also induce nuclear reactions. In this context a new research do-main began to form in the last decade or so, namely nuclear physics with high power lasers. The observation of high brilliance proton beams of tens of MeV energy from solid targets has stimulated an intense re-search activity. The laser-driven particle beams have to compete with conventional nuclear accelerator-generated beams. The ultimate goal is aiming at applications of the laser produced beams in research, tech-nology and medicine. The mechanism responsible for ion acceleration are currently subject of intensive research in many laboratories in the world. The existing results, experimental and theoretical, and their per-spectives are reviewed in this article in the context of IZEST and the scientific program of ELI-NP.