Laser Driven User Facilities and Status of I-Luce at Laboratori Nazionali Del Sud of Infn (Italy)

Laser-driven ion acceleration has emerged as a promising technology in accelerator physics, offering a compact alternative to conventional machines. By utilizing the interaction of high-intensity laser pulses with plasma, ions can be accelerated to high energies over short distances, enabling a wide range of applications in medical therapy, materials science, and nuclear physics. This paper provides an overview of the current facilities worldwide where laser- driven ion acceleration is being studied and implemented, and where laser-driven beams are made available to users for fundamental and applied research. It specifically focuses on the ELI-Beamlines facility (Dolní Břežany, Czech Republic) and the I-LUCE initiative facility (Catania, Italy), which aims to establish a laser facility at the Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare - Laboratori Nazionali del Sud (INFN-LNS). The main characteristics of these facilities and their generated beams are briefly discussed.