Construction of EU-funded super laser starts in Czech Republic

It was attended by Prime Minister Petr Necas (Civic Democrats, ODS) and Education Minister Petr Fiala (unaffiliated).

"I consider it a very important stimulation for Czech science, or its international integration, also because this will be the biggest and most important scientific installation in the Czech Lands," Necas said.

Jan Ridky, director of the Czech Academy of Sciences Physics Institute, told CTK that several similar lasers are now being built the world over.

The new centre is designed to attract experts from the whole world and to halt the drain of Czech brains.

The laser centre will start working in 2016 and it is to reach its full performance in 2019, Ridky said.

The centre will focus on research into cancer treatment, medical imaging and diagnosing. The laser will also be used in the development and testing of new materials and the handling of radioactive waste.

A smaller HiLASE laser project for some 800 million crowns also started to be built in Dolni Brezany. It is to focus on applied research and the use of the laser in industry.

Several scientific centres are situated in Prague´s close surroundings. A centre for the development and research into engines was opened in Roztoky at the end of last year.

A scientific-technological park for materials research was recently opened in Celakovice.

A centre of research into the chemical and physical properties of construction materials and construction wastes is to be built in Kralupy nad Vltavou.

($1=19.241 crowns)

Author: ČTK
www.ctk.cz