The particle laser-plasma acceleration in Italy

In this paper the beginning activity on Laser Plasma Acceleration in Italy and the recent results obtained in the frame of the INFN Strategic Project PLASMONX will be presented. The project, involving eight groups and two National Laboratory disseminated along Italy, is aimed at the development of an innovative, high-gradient acceleration with super- intense and ultra-short laser pulses, and a tuneable, hard X/-ray source, based upon Thomson scattering of optical photons by energetic electrons. Both experiments require very high power, ultra-short laser pulses in combination with very bright and short electron bunches generated either by conventional acceleration (LINAC) or by laser-driven acceleration in plasmas.