The Omega Laser Facility draws together a diverse and elite community of researchers from across the globe. Our vibrant user base comprises more than 800 external users from 70 institutions, including National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) labs, conduct over 50% of the experiments on Omega, primarily supporting the NNSA high-energy-density (HED) program and fundamental science.
This rich pool of talent, with its largest contingent from the academic sphere, represents some of the world’s most prestigious institutions, fostering an environment of innovation and discovery unparalleled in the field of HED.
Our commitment to nurturing the next generation of stockpile stewards and fusion researchers is evident in our three open-access user programs and the Omega Laser Facility Users Group (OLUG). More than 120 students and postdoctoral researchers from the OLUG community currently conduct research at the Omega Laser Facility.
This dedication to education and research has not only strengthened the HEDP community but also cultivated a new wave of experimental principal investigators, many of whom are postdoctoral researchers or early-career scientists now leading projects at government laboratories.
The Omega Laser Users Group fosters collaboration and communication among its members, the facility, and the broader scientific community.
The Omega Laser Facility is primarily used to support NNSA’s Inertial Confinement Fusion Program with HED experiments led by NNSA ICF labs. HED campaigns span four sub-categories: Thermonuclear Burn, Materials, Hydrodynamics and Properties, and Outputs, Survivability, and Effects. The HED experiments are solicitated annually and recommended by the HED Council.
The National Laser Users’ Facility (NLUF), funded by the Office of Experimental Sciences of the NNSA, supports a wide range of research areas, including laboratory astrophysics, materials under extreme conditions, and warm dense matter.
The LBS program offers merit-based access to Omega for researchers from NNSA and the Department of Energy Office of Science laboratories. This program drives fundamental research in high-energy-density science, supporting national security and advancing our understanding of extreme states of matter.
LaserNetUS is a collaborative research network established by the DOE Office of Fusion Energy Sciences to advance and promote high-power laser science and applications. The program provides a broad user access to various laser facilities and capabilities in the network including OMEGA EP. LaserNetUS issues an annual call for experimental proposals which are reviewed by an independent review panel. LaserNetUS time on OMEGA EP is currently used to support user research in inertial fusion energy.
Log in to the Omega Operations portal and get everything you need for a successful campaign.
