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A Nuclear Pumped Laser for the Laboratory Microfusion Facility

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 March 2009

G. H. Miley
G. H. Miley
Affiliation:
Fusion Studies Laboratory, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801
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Abstract

The Laboratory Microfusion Facility (LMF) has been proposed to study Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) targets with reactor-grade gains. An advanced solid-state laser is the prime candidate as the driver for the LMF. However, here we present a conceptual design for an alternate approach using a Nuclear Pumped Laser (NPL).

A pulsed fission reactor is used to excite an oxygen-iodine laser in this design, based on preliminary data on nuclear pumping of O2(1δ). Although a working NPL of this specific type has not yet been assembled, we believe this concept holds great potential, both as a test facility driver and as a future power reactor.

Type
Research Article
Information
Laser and Particle Beams , Volume 7 , Issue 3 , August 1989 , pp. 411 - 419
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1989

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