Scientific researches in Optics and Spectroscopy have started in early 50’s at the University of Szeged, while the first laser started around 50 years ago. A terawatt laser system and related laboratory, the Tewati, was established in 1998, leading to the physical opening of the ELI-ALPS Facility in 2017.

Besides of developments on laser diagnostics and carrier envelope phase stabilisation, selected experimental results of the Tewati lab will be presented, as ultrafast pump-probe measurements of the photo-cycle of a protein and its potential to ultrafast computing, a sub-100nm resolution etching of fused silica, and femtosecond ellipsometry. Finally, one of the flagship scientific programs of Hungary, the development of a laser based neutron source will be discussed