The HERCULES laser system located at the University of Michigan Center for Ultrafast Optical Science appears to be the most powerful laser in the world. The beam delivers about 20 billion trillion watts per square centimeter, contains 300 terawatts of power and thus qualifies as the highest intensity pulsed laser beam produced thus far. Details here.

…impressive, but the UMich laser doesn’t even come close to the estimated 10^32 watts expended by the Death Star’s superlaser to destroy the planet Alderaan.

Michigan laser beam believed to set record for intensity - University of Michigan news release, February 15 2008

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