  This report describes the scientific aims and potentials as well as the
preliminary technical design of IRIDE, an innovative tool for
multi-disciplinary investigations in a wide field of scientific, technological
and industrial applications. IRIDE will be a high intensity 'particle factory',
based on a combination of a high duty cycle radio-frequency superconducting
electron linac and of high energy lasers. Conceived to provide unique research
possibilities for particle physics, for condensed matter physics, chemistry and
material science, for structural biology and industrial applications, IRIDE
will open completely new research possibilities and advance our knowledge in
many branches of science and technology. IRIDE will contribute to open new
avenues of discoveries and to address most important riddles: What does matter
consist of? What is the structure of proteins that have a fundamental role in
life processes? What can we learn from protein structure to improve the
treatment of diseases and to design more efficient drugs? But also how does an
electronic chip behave under the effect of radiations? How can the heat flow in
a large heat exchanger be optimized? The scientific potential of IRIDE is far
reaching and justifies the construction of such a large facility in Italy in
synergy with the national research institutes and companies and in the
framework of the European and international research. It will impact also on
R&D work for ILC, FEL, and will be complementarity to other large scale
accelerator projects. IRIDE is also intended to be realized in subsequent
stages of development depending on the assigned priorities.
