Construction of a large laser fusion system
Construction of a large laser fusion machine is nearing completion at the Lawrence Livermore Laboratory (LLL). Shiva, a 20-terawatt neodymium doped glass system, will be complete in early 1978. This system will have the high power needed to demonstrate significant thermonuclear burn. Shiva will irradiate a microscopic D-T pellet with 20 separate laser beams arriving simultaneously at the target. This requires precise alignment, and stability to maintain alignment. Hardware for the 20 laser chains is composed of 140 amplifiers, 100 spatial filters, 80 isolation stages, 40 large turning mirrors, and a front-end splitter system of over 100 parts. These are mounted on a high stability, three dimensional spaceframe which serves as an optical bench. The mechanical design effort, spanning approximately 3 years, followed a classic engineering evolution. The conceptual design phase led directly to system optimization through cost and technical tradeoffs. Additional manpower was then required for detailed design and specification of hardware and fabrication. Design of long-lead items was started early in order to initiate fabrication and assembly while the rest of the design was completed. All components were ready for assembly and construction as fiscal priorities and schedules permitted.
- Research Organization:
- California Univ., Livermore (USA). Lawrence Livermore Lab.
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-48
- OSTI ID:
- 5259588
- Report Number(s):
- UCRL-79677; CONF-771029-56; TRN: 78-003131
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 7. symposium on fusion research project, Knoxville, TN, USA, 25 Oct 1977
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
42 ENGINEERING
SHIVA FACILITY
CONSTRUCTION
MECHANICAL STRUCTURES
AMPLIFIERS
DEUTERIUM TRITIDES
LASER FUSION REACTORS
NEODYMIUM LASERS
OPTICAL SYSTEMS
STABILITY
TARGETS
DEUTERIUM COMPOUNDS
ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
LABELLED COMPOUNDS
LASERS
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS
SOLID STATE LASERS
THERMONUCLEAR REACTORS
TRITIUM COMPOUNDS
700208* - Fusion Power Plant Technology- Inertial Confinement Technology
420300 - Engineering- Lasers- (-1989)