Meet the Machines That Matter: The Optics Inspector

What can spot a flaw smaller than a speck of dust from eight meters away, works tirelessly in a vacuum, and is essential to national security experiments at NIF? Meet FODI. Meet the Final Optics Damage Inspection system, or FODI.

Optics Education Summit Targets a Growing Need for Laser and Photonics Experts

At a summit organized by NIF&PS leaders, educators from around the country discussed steps they can take to help grow the pipeline of skilled optics and photonics workers needed to feed increasing demand.

LLNL Optics Expert Wren Carr Named SPIE Fellow

LLNL's Wren Carr was selected as a Fellow of SPIE, the international society for optics and photonics. He is the science and technology group leader for NIF laser-induced damage and mitigation science.

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.

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.

David Alessi Named Senior Member of Optica

LLNL physicist David Alessi has been named a senior member of Optica, an international society dedicated to promoting the generation, application, archiving, and dissemination of knowledge in the field of optics and photonics.

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.

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.

Big Ideas Lab Podcast Explores the Future of Fusion Energy

In the latest episode of “The Big Ideas Lab” podcast, learn the next steps needed to turn the dream of fusion energy into reality.

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.

NIF&PS Intern Brings New Perspectives to NIF

Marie Durivaux was a unique choice for an internship to develop additional tools and further analyze laser beam quality at NIF.

LLNL Selected to Lead Next-Gen Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography Research

The Department of Energy has selected a new research partnership led by LLNL that aims to lay the groundwork for the next evolution of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography, centered around a Lab-developed system dubbed the BAT laser.

Meet NIF&PS: Mechanical Engineer Eddie Jimenez

For many LLNL employees like Eddie Jimenez, working at the Lab is a dream fulfilled. Jimenez is a senior mechanical engineer in the Engineering directorate, matrixed to NIF&PS.

New Plasma Switch Cleans the Pulses in High-Power Lasers

Researchers have developed and tested an innovative plasma optic that “cleans” a high-power laser pulse by diffracting away potentially damaging pre-pulses, then rapidly switching to let the main pulse through to the target.

Shreds With the Best of Them

Gary Tham, a NIF optical fabrication technician, hadn't gone mountain biking for about 27 years. Here's how he rekindled his passion for the sport.

Spot-Shadowing Damage on Laser Optics

Technology named Laser Energy Optimization by Precision Adjustments to the Radiant Distribution (LEOPARD) enhances the performance of NIF.

LLNL Intern Applies Lessons Learned from Home, Family

Brianna Barbee is taking a childhood lesson from her mother to heart—and it figured into her summer internship at LLNL.

A New Dimension of Glass

Scientists and engineers from NIF&PS and Physical and Life Sciences developed a process for generating trillions of nanoscale structures on meter-scale glass surfaces. Read the full story in Science & Technology Review.

Celebrating World Intellectual Property Day

The NIF and Photon Science directorate has a strong portfolio of lasers and optics patents.

More Shots, More Potential for Success

NIF stands to gain from a Laboratory Directed Research and Development project to explore ultrawide bandgap photoconductive devices.