National Ignition Facility
also NIF
The main purpose of NIF’s lasers includes laser fusion R&D, high energy density science, energy security, and building future generations of scientists.
Quoted verbatim from the IAEA World Survey of Fusion Devices, not paraphrased.
- Type
- Laser facility
- Approach
- Laser ICF, indirect drive
- Fuel
- D-T
- Country
- US
- Status
- Operating
- Built
- 2009
- Ownership
- public
Measurements
4.13 Target gain (Q_target) claimed
Denominator: Laser energy delivered to the target, including hohlraum losses
measured 2025-04-07 · shot N250406
1.5 Target gain (Q_target) achieved
Denominator: Laser energy delivered to the target, including hohlraum losses
measured 2022-12-05 · shot N221204
0.0077 Wall-plug gain claimed
Denominator: Total facility grid energy drawn for the shot
measured 2022-12-05 · shot N221204
3.1 MJ Fusion energy yield achieved
measured 2022-12-05 · shot N221204
2.05 MJ Laser energy on target achieved
measured 2022-12-05 · shot N221204