When Lasers Cross: LLNL Finds a Brighter Way to Measure Plasma

LLNL scientists have tested a new crossed-laser technique that measures plasma conditions in a single shot, with signals more than a billion times stronger than traditional Thomson scattering.

LLNL and Fraunhofer ILT Partner on Next-Generation Fusion Lasers

LLNL and Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology (ILT) are joining forces to cross-validate their sophisticated laser simulation models.

Where Beam Paths and Career Paths Intersect

As a laser safety officer, Hayden Johnson knows the location and handling protocols for hundreds of lasers across the Lab. Here's why serving in this role is especially fulfilling.

Vincent Tang Returns to Lead NIF&PS Directorate

LLNL Director Kim Budil named Vincent Tang as the principal associate director (PAD) to lead the NIF and Photon Science directorate.

Using AI for Real-Time Control of Rapid-Fire Lasers

In a major step forward for HED science and inertial fusion energy, LLNL researchers and their colleagues demonstrated how machine learning and AI could exert instantaneous control of a rapid-fire laser system.

HEDS Fellow Patricia Cho Probes Cosmic Mysteries

For Patricia Cho, an experimental physicist who is conducting opacity measurement experiments at NIF, a High Energy Density Science Center fellowship allowed her to branch out from her Ph.D. work to explore new areas of astrophysics.

Big Ideas Lab Podcast Delves into Advanced Lasers

The latest episode of the Big Ideas Lab podcast explores advanced lasers — the challenges and their potential.

LLNL Receives Energy Department Funding for Fusion Energy Research

The U.S. Department of Energy announced $134 million in funding for two programs designed to secure U.S. leadership in emerging fusion technologies and innovation: FIRE and INFUSE.

New Book Documents Optics Innovations That Were Integral to Ignition

Just published: In Optic Technologies Enabling Fusion Ignition, veteran LLNL optics and laser experts tell the comprehensive story of how they were able to push the performance of those optics beyond what many thought was possible.

Big Ideas Lab Podcast Looks Back at the Laser Guide Star

Late one evening about 30 years ago, a beam of light that shot into the sky from LLNL started a revolution in astronomy. The latest episode of LLNL’s Big Ideas Lab Podcast delves into this fascinating history.

ELI and LLNL Strengthen Collaboration

LLNL and the Extreme Light Infrastructure ERIC (ELI) have signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that builds on their existing strategic collaboration and reflects the commitment of both to advancing scientific research and laser innovation.

LLNL Laser Experts Shine at Laser Safety Conference

Laser safety experts from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory led several important sessions and presentations on the latest advances in laser technology and safety practices during the 2025 International Laser Safety Conference.

LLNL Hosts Workshop to Shape the Future of Diode-Pumped Laser Technology

LLNL recently hosted a workshop to assemble the world’s top experts in diode-pumped solid-state laser (DPSSL) systems, a key technology for the future of inertial fusion research and energy.

Jeff Wisoff Reflects on Decades of National Service

As he wraps up his 24-year career at LLNL, Jeff Wisoff reflects on his time as Principal Associate Director of NIF & Photon Science, the achievement of fusion ignition, and how serving as a NASA astronaut informed his approach to leadership.

Big Ideas Lab Podcast Takes on Tech Spinoffs and Partnerships

The Big Ideas Lab podcast takes a deep dive into how the Innovation and Partnerships Office (IPO) facilitates tech transfer at LLNL and some of the most impactful success stories, including one startup inspired by research into protecting NIF's optical components from laser damage.

Prominence of LLNL Laser Science on Display at NIF-JLF User Groups Meeting

The progress made to capitalize on and sustain NIF’s capabilities, and the scientific advancements made during JLF’s first full year of operations following a major refurbishment, were highlighted during this year’s NIF and JLF User Groups Meeting.

Ride the Optics Recycle Loop with the Big Ideas Lab Podcast

NIF was designed and built in a way to manage some level of laser damage on the optics nearly every time the laser fires. In this Big Ideas Lab Podcast episode, we take a ride along this Optics Recycle Loop of continuous innovation and ingenuity.

Spotlighting a Legend of Laser Safety

When Jamie King first began working as a radiation safety technician, laser safety had yet to truly emerge as a specialized field. King saw opportunities for his efforts to make a noticeable difference in the field.

From Ignition in the Laboratory to Fusion Energy

LLNL physicist Dan Casey outlined the challenges involved in moving from the achievement of fusion ignition at LLNL’s National Ignition Facility to practical inertial fusion energy at a recent Kavli Frontiers of Science symposium in Kyoto, Japan.

LLNL Creates World’s Brightest X-Ray Source with NIF and Novel Metal Foams

By combining NIF's laser and ultra-light metal foams, LLNL researchers have produced the brightest x-ray source to date — about twice as bright as previous solid metal versions. The team's work was recently published in Physical Review E.