  Lasers make possible the production and ultimate control of electromagnetic
fields in terms of spectral purity, spatial confinement down to micrometer
scale, duration down to a single cycle in the femtosecond domain or shorter and
electromagnetic field strengths - corresponding to the highest intensities
achieved by mankind in the lab. Ultra-intense laser facilities are pushing the
limits of the achievable pulse intensity, hence the coined term extreme light.
They make possible fundamental and applied investigations in physics and
material science with emergent societal impact. Extreme Light Infrastructure is
the most advanced project dedicated to the production and use of such extreme
fields. The Extreme Light Infrastructure project will be outlined, with
emphasis on the extreme light capabilities of the three pillars. The
architecture of the first finalized 10PW high power laser system (HPLS) will be
highlighted. This dual arm, 10PW each, laser system, at Extreme Light
Infrastructure Nuclear Physics (ELI-NP), in Romania, delivers beams in five
experimental areas that address research centered on nuclear physics, materials
in extreme environments and exotic physics.
