Few high-power laser applications have attracted controversy in the same way as nuclear fusion. But with the National Ignition Campaign due to go live within the next few months, residual doubters and dissenters may soon be silenced. Viewed in this context CLEO provides a unique opportunity to discuss laser fusion at the dawn of a new era of scientific understanding and exploitation.

Laser Fusion

Thursday, May 20. 10.30 am

Presided by Timothy Carrig (Lockheed Martin, USA) this session will discuss the fundamentals of controlled nuclear fusion, the engineering requirements for successful Inertial Fusion Energy, and a paper from the Institute  for Laser Technology,  Japan, on a novel high-power laser design featuring cryogenic Yb:YAG and active total internal reflection mirrors.

Extreme Light

Thursday, May 20. 2.30pm

In an invited paper, Brian MacGowan (Lawrence Livermore Natl. Lab, USA) will describe progress in delivering the National Ignition Campaign. Originally prescribed June 2005 by the National Nuclear Security Administration, part of the US Department of Energy, it will be fascinating to learn if this nuclear fusion experiment is on schedule and what hurdles have been overcome along the way.

By most accounts NIC is on track to produce net useful energy, albeit in a single-shot configuration, within the next few months.  In the longer term, physicists must work out laser fusion can yield net useful energy on a sustainable basis. No mean feat, but I am sure MacGowan will have some answers.

Low down on HiPER

Scanning the CLEO proceedings I find no submissions from the European High Power laser Energy Research (HiPER) consortium. Originally conceived to demonstrate the feasibility of laser driven fusion as a future energy source, the birth of HiPER will coincide with the attainment of ignition and energy gain on the NIF laser in the USA. It would be great to hear from the HiPER consortium at CLEO next year. Here is a trailer on the HiPER effort.

Dr David Nugent is Founder and CEO of Elucidare Limited, a boutique technology development and investment advisory business.