History of HPLA

Since 1998, the International High-Power Laser Ablation (HPLA) Conference has provided a unique forum for exchange of ideas on the physics and application of high-power laser materials interaction, including advances in relevant high-power laser sources and problems of beam propagation and detection, in a collegial atmosphere.  The HPLA conference is one of the first to be organized around a physical phenomenon (high power ablation) rather than a specific technology.  HPLA addresses every aspect of the high power ablation of materials from the basic physics to the leading applications.  HPLA attendees are forefront specialists in the basic physics of laser-surface interactions, high-power lasers, materials science, femtosecond lasers and effects, beam propagation, beam forming, diagnostics and detection.  Attendees are deeply involved in a broad range of laser materials interaction research.  They are interested in and use the following laser technologies: ultrashort pulse lasers; picosecond Nd lasers and doublers, triplers; Ti:sapphire lasers; KrF, XeCl, ArF, XeF excimer lasers; high power fi ber lasers; CO2 lasers; quantum dots; oxygeniodine lasers; diode pumped alkali halide lasers.  Applications of interest to HPLA attendees include, but are not limited to: laser cutting; scribing, material modification; Coulomb explosion, charging and plasma effects generated by fs pulses; ultrafast dynamic ellipsometry; physics of bulk optical breakdown; ultrafast melt dynamics; pulsed laser deposition, MAPLE; laser surface cleaning; and laser space propulsion.

The HPLA Conference is held every other year in the Santa Fe area.  The 2012 HPLA is the 9th.