Nova nears completion

Inertial‐confinement fusion experiments at Livermore's 10‐armed Nova laser are expected to begin early next year. With the capacity to deliver 100‐kilojoule, nanosecond pulses of 1.05‐micron infrared light, Nova will have the highest peak power (exceeding 100 terawatts) of any laser yet built. In July, eight of the ten Nova beams were fired, delivering a 57‐terawatt, nanosecond pulse. Eventually such pulses will be directed at millimeter‐sized deuterium–tritium pellets, exploring the density and temperature region of D–T fusion ignition.