Slices of a potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KDP) crystal will be used to convert the laser light from infrared light to ultraviolet wavelengths
In early April, the $3.5 billion in Livermore, California, was given the green light to begin a series of experiments. Researchers hope they will culminate in the first ever self-sustained, stable fusion reaction that will release many times more energy than the energy used to trigger the reaction. The stadium-sized facility will train 192 laser beams on tiny targets, producing pressures and temperatures that could illuminate the interiors of giant planets and pave the way to the first fusion reactors.
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