Radiation protection for laser based accelerators: the LNF FLAME Project

Since few years, following the development of laser able to focus ultra short high intensity pulses onto targets became possible the generation of ionizing radiation (X-rays, ions, electrons and protons) by lasers and the development of an innovative, high-gradient acceleration technique based upon such laser. From than on all practices concerning the use of laser in relativistic and ultra relativistic regime have been regarded as practices with radiation risk and consequently treated. The aim of this paper is to focus the radiological protection aspects posed by the the operation of an 'accelerator facility', based on a laser of hundreds terawatt peak power as the LNF FLAME (Frascati Laser for Acceleration and Multidisciplinary Experiments) project in commissioning at LNF. (author)