The National Ignition Facility (NIF) is a laser-based inertial confinement fusion (ICF) research device, located at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in Livermore, California, United States. The DOE and DOE’s National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) announced on 13 Dec 2022, the achievement of fusion ignition which is a major scientific breakthrough decades in the making that will pave the way for advancements in national defense and the future of clean power. The laser shot, performed on 5 December, released 3.15 million joules (MJ) of energy from a tiny pellet containing two hydrogen isotopes – compared to the 2.05 MJ that those lasers delivered to the target.
Related Definitions in the Project: The Nuclear Fusion Energy; Renewable Energy
