State-of-the-art, high-energy, high-power laser facilities, such as the Omega Laser Facility at the University of Rochester's Laboratory for Laser Energetics (LLE), provide unique opportunities for conducting a broad range of inertial fusion and high-energy-density physics studies. As part of the LLE National Laser Users' Facility program, a significant portion of the shot time of the 60-beam UV 30-kJ, 30-TW OMEGA and the four-beam, petawatt-class OMEGA EP Laser Systems is provided for external user experiments. These experiments include studies of matter compressed to super-high densities and pressures, inertial fusion, laboratory astrophysics, relativistic plasma physics, warm-densematter physics, and the development of advanced high-energy-density plasma diagnostic systems. Some of the challenges, exciting results, and future opportunities for inertial fusion and high-energy-density physics research will be presented.

Date Published: 18 February 2011
PDF: 15 pages
Proc. SPIE 7916, High Power Lasers for Fusion Research, 791603 (18 February 2011);

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 7916:
High Power Lasers for Fusion Research
Abdul A. S. Awwal; A. Mike Dunne; Hiroshi Azechi; Brian E. Kruschwitz, Editor(s)