News

Regional leaders honor fusion ignition team for game-changing innovation

A collective of regional business and civic leaders in the Tri-Valley has honored LLNL’s fusion ignition team members for their “game-changing” breakthrough.

Computing Codes, Simulations Helped Make Ignition Possible

Part 6 of “The Age of Ignition,” a NIF & Photon Science News Special Report describing the elements of the National Ignition Facility’s fusion breakthrough

NIF’s Optics Meet the Demands of Increased Laser Energy

Part 5 of “The Age of Ignition,” a NIF & Photon Science News Special Report describing the elements of the National Ignition Facility’s fusion breakthrough

Laser Focused: Power and Finesse Drove NIF’s Fusion Ignition Success

To achieve fusion ignition on Dec. 5, 2022, the National Ignition Facility (NIF)’s laser system needed to operate flawlessly at both ends of the performance spectrum, delivering immense energies while controlling the energy balance across all 192 laser beams with extreme precision.

NIF’s Fusion Ignition Shot a ‘Hot Topic’ at SPIE Photonics West

A standing-room-only crowd at the recent SPIE Photonics West convention listened raptly to a presentation about LLNL’s long road to fusion ignition on Dec. 5, 2022.

Computational Engineering is key to ignition success

In a room illuminated by blinking lights and glowing monitors, more than 2,000 synchronized computers are triggered to run 5 million lines of code.

Ignition Experiment Advances Stockpile Stewardship Mission

Part 3 of “The Age of Ignition,” a NIF & Photon Science News Special Report describing the elements of the National Ignition Facility’s fusion breakthrough

LLNL’s ‘BAT Laser’ R&D Delivers Big Results

LLNL’s research and development of the Big Aperture Thulium (BAT) laser has been living up to its name, delivering big results in a small package.

Laser shots at National Ignition Facility could spark additional discoveries in astrophysics

In December, the National Ignition Facility (NIF) at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory made headlines worldwide. Scientists at the NIF performed the first nuclear fusion experiment in which the energy produced from fusion exceeded the amount of energy directly applied to the fuel to ignite it.

IAEA Webinar Explores NIF’s Ignition and Energy Gain Breakthroughs

The Dec. 5, 2022, NIF experiment that achieved scientific break-even and fusion energy gain for the first time in a laboratory showed that there are no “mystery physics obstacles” standing in the way of producing as much or more energy from a fusion reaction than the energy needed to drive the reaction.

Designing for Ignition: Precise Changes Yield Historic Results

Part 2 of “The Age of Ignition,” a NIF & Photon Science News Special Report describing the elements of the National Ignition Facility’s fusion breakthrough

Gordon Brunton Named NIF Director

Gordon Brunton came to NIF and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) while taking a six-month sabbatical from his previous job and stayed because of the Lab’s “unique environment.” Now, almost 19 years later, Brunton has been named the new director of NIF.

Couple Goes Deep for Underwater Adventures

When they need to get away from it all, Bruno and Korbie Le Galloudec have a special place to escape to. It’s beautiful, filled with wondrous creatures and serene.

Innovations that enabled LLNL’s fusion ignition breakthrough

In December 2022, the Laboratory celebrated a first-of-its kind accomplishment—fusion ignition at LLNL’s National Ignition Facility (NIF), the world’s most energetic laser system.

Star Power: Blazing the Path to Fusion Ignition

Part 1 of “The Age of Ignition,” a NIF & Photon Science News Special Report describing the elements of the National Ignition Facility’s fusion breakthrough

Five Lab teams recognized with Secretary’s Honor Achievement Awards

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) employees, participating in five project teams, recently earned Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary’s Honor Achievement Awards.

Meet Zhi Liao, NIF&PS Workforce Manager

Zhi Liao’s path from laser scientist to his new role as workforce manager for the NIF & Photon Science (NIF&PS) Directorate has come full circle—and is rooted in his early days at LLNL.

Ignition Gives U.S. ‘Unique Opportunity’ to Lead World’s IFE Research

LLNL’s historic achievement of fusion ignition at NIF in December positions the United States with a “unique opportunity” to further lead the world scientific community’s pursuit of developing fusion as a future source of clean energy, according to a newly released report.

NIF’s Advances Make NIF Summer Scholar Program a Coveted Internship

NIF’s recent scientific advances, including the achievement of fusion ignition in December, have increased interest among aspiring young scientists for the NIF&PS Summer Scholar Program.

Lawrence Livermore’s Science on Saturday lecture series moves to Las Positas College

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's (LLNL) popular lecture series, “Science on Saturday,” returns Feb. 4 and runs through Feb. 25.