LLNL, Livermore, California, USA
The National Ignition Facility (NIF) is the world’s most energetic laser system used for Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) and High Energy Density Physics (HEDP) experimentation. Each laser shot delivers up to 1.9 MJ of ultraviolet light, driving target temperatures to in excess of 180 million K and pressures 100 billion times atmospheric ’ making possible direct study of conditions mimicking interiors of stars and planets, as well as our primary scientific applications: stockpile stewardship and fusion power. NIF control and diagnostic systems allow physicists to precisely manipulate, measure and image this extremely dense and hot matter. A major focus in the past two years has been adding comprehensive new diagnostic instruments to evaluate increasing energy and power of the laser drive. When COVID-19 struck, the controls team leveraged remote access technology to provide efficient operational support without stress of on-site presence. NIF continued to mitigate inevitable technology obsolescence after 20 years since construction. In this talk, we will discuss successes and challenges, including NIF progress towards ignition, achieving record neutron yields in early 2021.
LLNL-ABS-821973
