1986

Progress in Laser Fusion
In August 1986, the cover of Scientific American showed the diagnostics inside the OMEGA target chamber. The featured article was titled “Progress in Laser Fusion” by R. Stephen Craxton, Robert L. McCrory, and John M. Soures. The article discussed the considerable progress made in laser fusion since the ability to convert infrared lasers to the ultraviolet was demonstrated at LLE in 1979. The authors concluded that electric power generation using short-wavelength lasers would be feasible with lasers generating between 1.6 and 10 MJ per pulse with a fusion energy release 100× larger than the input laser energy.

R. S. Craxton, R. L. McCrory, and J. M. Soures, “Progress in Laser Fusion,” Sci. Am.
255, 268–279 (1986). 

Review Recognizes LLE Research
In March, 1986 the National Academy of Sciences Review of the Department of  energy’s Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) Program recognized the important work being done by LLE in addressing the key aspects of ICF research. They set a goal of compressing a cryogenic direct-drive target to 100 to 200× liquid-DT density as a demonstration to justify the upgrade of the OMEGA laser to 30 kJ.

W. Happer, ed., in Review of the DOE’s Inertial Confinement Fusion Program (National Academy of Sciences, Washington, DC 1986).