Laboratory for Laser Energetics

The Laboratory for Laser Energetics (LLE) is a scientific research facility which is part of the University of Rochester's south campus, located in Rochester, New York. The lab was established in 1970 and its operations since then have been funded jointly; mainly by the United States Department of Energy, the University of Rochester and the New York State government. The Laser Lab was commissioned to serve as a center for investigations of high-energy physics, specifically those involving the interaction of extremely-intense laser radiation with matter. Many types of scientific experiments are performed at the facility with a strong emphasis on inertial confinement, direct drive, laser-induced fusion using OMEGA, currently the world's highest-energy ultraviolet laser. The lab shares its building with the Center for Optoelectronics and Imaging and the Center for Optics Manufacturing. A new addition, the Robert L. Sproull Center for Ultra High Intensity Laser Research, was opened in 2005 and will house the OMEGA EP laser, which is scheduled to be completed in 2007. During summer months the lab sponsors a program for high school students which involves local-area high school juniors in the research being done at the laboratory. Most of the projects are done on current research that is led by senior scientists at the lab.

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LLE OMEGA laser facility

The OMEGA laser at the LLE is one of the most powerful and highest energy lasers in the world. It is a 60-beam ultraviolet frequency-tripled neodymium glass laser, which is capable of delivering 30 kilojoules at up to 60 terawatts onto a target less than 1 millimeter in diameter. Construction and commissioning of the laser was completed in 1995. OMEGA held the record for highest energy laser (per pulse) from 1999 (after the Nova laser's dismantling) to 2005 when the first 8 beams of the National Ignition Facility exceeded OMEGA's output by about 30 Kj in the UV. The maximum fusion yield on OMEGA so far is about 10¹⁴ neutrons per shot (first achieved in 1995) and thus holds the record for highest neutron yield of any inertial confinement fusion device to date.

LLE OMEGA EP laser system

A new laser, the OMEGA EP (extended performance) laser system, is a four-beam laser system that is scheduled to be completed in April 2008. Along with the four NIF-like laser beams, it will consist of a new target chamber and a vacuum pulse compression chamber containing large-aperture pulse compression gratings, allowing the laser system to perform short pulse laser shots. The laser will be housed inside the newest addition to the building, which was completed in 2005. When completed, the combination of the OMEGA and the OMEGA EP laser systems will allow the LLE to be the world's only facility capable of fully integrated cryogenic fast-ignition experiments.