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Experimental Capabilities

The National Ignition Facility (NIF) is operational and is the premier high energy density science facility in the world, with laser energies 10 times greater than any other high-energy inertial confinement fusion (ICF) laser. A major focus of NIF through FY2012 will be the National Ignition Campaign (NIC), a national effort to demonstrate ignition and thermonuclear burn in the laboratory. NIF will also conduct a variety of experiments to study matter at the extremes, including studies of material properties, hydrodynamics, and the interaction of intense radiation fields with matter. NIF experimental capabilities are now also available to the broader scientific community via the current call for proposals for NIF experiments in fundamental science.

NIF experiments are typically executed via experimental "platforms." A NIF experimental platform typically consists of an integrated laser, hohlraum, and diagnostic suite capable of providing well-characterized pressure, temperature, implosion, or other environments. Particular samples are then placed within the hohlraum and studied.

Information on NIF experimental platforms as well as discussion of general NIF capabilities is available via the links below:

General Facility Information
Chamber geometry
Diagnostics

Platforms
Materials
Hohlraum energetics
Radiation transport
X-ray opacity
Shock timing
Streaked radiography
Capsule implosions
X-ray Sources

Scientists considering pursuit of fundamental science at NIF should leverage these platforms whenever possible. Variations in these platforms are possible and can be discussed with the NIF User Office.

For further information on scientific opportunities at the NIF, please contact:

Dr. Christopher J. Keane, LLNL
PHONE: (925) 422-2179
E-MAIL:Contact us

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