Abstract
The activity of research and development on ultra-short and highly-intense pulse laser systems in Europe is reviewed. The new field of highly-intense laser-matter interaction physics motivates major institutes owing conventional nsec- or p-sec laser facilities to improve theirs to compact f-sec laser systems which can generate TW-level power. The elemental techniques of mode-locked oscillators to generate ultra-short pulses and chirped-pulse amplification are also intensively studied.
