LLNL Achieves Nuclear Fusion Ignition: See Where Gentec-EO Laser Energy Meters Are Used

On December 13^th 2022, the U.S. Department of Energy announced that Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) achieved nuclear fusion ignition at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) in Livermore CA, USA. NIF is a pulsed laser-based Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) research device which produced 3.15 MJ of energy on December 5^th, using 2.05 MJ of laser energy provided in one shot lasting a few nanoseconds.

By proving that ICF can yield positive gain, this announcement values more than 50 years of research at the world’s most energetic laser facility, paving the way towards unprecedented capability to support the U.S. Stockpile Stewardship Program and more successful deuterium-tritium fusion reaction shots in the future. In hopes, one day, to generate cost-effective, non-radioactive, decarbonized electricity to the grid.

Read the official statement here. Watch LLNL’s video National Ignition Facility achieves fusion ignition.