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  • News
  • About
    • More Information
      • Partnerships
      • Awards, Honors, and Fellowships
      • LLE Timeline
      • Omega Laser Facility Users Group
      • Laboratory Basic Science
      • National Laser Users’ Facility
      • Videos Featuring LLE
    • Our Team
      • Senior Leadership
      • Management Team
        • Administrative Division
        • Engineering Division
        • Experimental Division
        • Laboratory Safety
        • Laser and Materials Technology
        • Omega Laser Facility Division
        • Plasma & Ultrafast Laser Science & Engineering Division
        • Theory Division
      • Office of the Director
    • Careers
    • Visitor Information
      • LLE Visitor Information Form
      • Map to LLE
      • LLE Tours
  • Omega Laser Facility
    • Omega Laser Systems
      • OMEGA Laser System
      • OMEGA EP Laser System
      • Joint Operations
    • Operations
      • Omega Laser Facility Schedule
      • OMEGA Launchpad
      • OMEGA EP Launchpad
      • Operations Personnel
    • Operations Groups
      • Beamlines
      • Laser Amplifiers
      • Power Conditioning
      • Drivers
  • MTW Laser Facility
    • Operations
      • MTW Launchpad
      • MTW Laser Facility Schedule
      • MTW FAQ’s
      • MTW Performance Envelope
  • Education
    • Graduate Studies
      • Graduate Program Faculty and Contacts
      • Computational Astrophysics
      • HED Physics
      • Inertial Confinement Fusion
      • Laser–Plasma Interaction
      • Radiative Hydrodynamics
      • Plasma Astrophysics
    • Undergraduate Program
    • Summer High School Research Program
  • Research Areas
    • High-Energy-Density Physics (HEDP) Experiments
    • Innovative Concepts
    • Omega Experiments
    • Plasma Physics
      • Laser–Plasma Interactions
      • Ultrafast Laser–Plasma Physics
      • Ultrafast Laser-Plasma Diagnostics
      • Relativistic Laser-Plasma Experiments
      • Plasma & Ultrafast Laser Science & Engineering Graduate Students
      • PULSE Researchers
    • High-Energy-Density Physics (HEDP) Theory
    • Integrated Modeling
  • Publications
    • LLE in Focus
    • LLE Review
    • Annual Report
    • Theses
      • LLE Theses
      • Theses from NLUF and other External University Student Research
  • Safety Zone
    • Medical Emergency
    • Safety Training
    • LLE Incident Reports
    • Radiological Safety
    • Safety Disclaimer
    • Safety Resources

National Nuclear Security Administration Office of Experimental Science

NNSA and Office of Experimental Sciences logos.

The Laboratory for Laser Energetics supports the National Nuclear Security Administration as a leading academic institution advancing laser technologies, fusion, and high-energy-density (HED) science at a scale that is relevant. LLE’s program directly contributes to many of NNSA’s main goals and HED research activities, including providing experimental data to inform stockpile stewardship applications, determining the efficacy of developing inertial fusion ignition and high-yield platforms, and training the next generation of stockpile stewards.

Pyramid diagram showing NNSA's Priorities, LLE Research Thrusts, and OMEGA Next through the 2020s to the 2040s.

High-level goals of the inertial confinement fusion plan that are focused on a future robust high-yield (>100 MJ) facility for stockpile stewardship applications, which require a next-generation university-scale facility for ICF and HED science through precision diagnostics, advanced computing, and fourth-generation drivers.

LLE’s NNSA Program is organized around four major technical topics associated with HED stockpile science: Thermonuclear Burn (TNB), Radiation Hydrodynamics and Transport (RH&T), Material Properties (MP), and Output and Survivability (O&S). The major thrust areas are:

Inertial Fusion and Ignition Physics (TNB, RH&T, O&S): Developing high-fusion-yield (>100-MJ) ignition platforms has been identified by NNSA as an essential long-term goal. Such a capability will enable stockpile stewardship applications at relevant conditions (TNB) and provide radiation and neutron sources to enable the RH&T and O&S goals. This multidisciplinary research is led by the groups:

  • Omega Experiments
  • Integrated Modeling
  • Laser–Plasma Interactions

High-Energy-Density (HED) Physics (RH&T, MP, TNB): Develop computational tools and experimental platforms for fundamental material properties studies. This multidisciplinary research is led by the groups:

  • HED Physics Experiments
  • HED Physics Theory

Laser Science and Technology (TNB, RH&T, MP, O&S): Develop new laser technologies, enabling high-gain designs, and high-pressure HED platforms.

Omega Operations: LLE hosts the Omega Laser Facility, one of the three primary NNSA HED facilities, and the largest laser facility in the world at an academic institution.

Education and Workforce Development: One of LLE’s principle strategies is to expand the opportunities to educate and challenge a diverse, technical, and inclusive cadre of scientists, engineers, and technicians for careers relevant to the NNSA missions; this includes high school, BEST High School Student and Teacher Research Program, undergraduate program, and Ph.D. programs both at the University of Rochester and through other academic partners.

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