Laboratory for Laser Energetics

Laboratory for Laser Energetics

Motto	"A unique national resource"
Established	1970
Research type	Unclassified
Field of research	The investigation of the interaction of intense radiation with matter
Director	Robert L. McCrory
Staff	400 - 500 people
Address	250 East River Rd Rochester, NY 14623-1212
Location	Brighton, New York, US
Zip code	14623
Affiliations	United States Department of Energy MIT Plasma Science and Fusion Center State University of New York at Geneseo University of Nevada, Reno University of Wisconsin–Madison
Operating agency	University of Rochester
Website	lle.rochester.edu

The Laboratory for Laser Energetics (LLE) is a scientific research facility which is part of the University of Rochester's south campus, located in Brighton, New York. The lab was established in 1970 and its operations since then have been funded jointly; mainly by the United States Department of Energy, the University of Rochester and the New York State government. The Laser Lab was commissioned to serve as a center for investigations of high-energy physics, specifically those involving the interaction of extremely intense laser radiation with matter. Many types of scientific experiments are performed at the facility with a strong emphasis on inertial confinement, direct drive, laser-induced fusion using OMEGA, currently the world's highest-energy ultraviolet laser. The lab shares its building with the Center for Optoelectronics and Imaging and the Center for Optics Manufacturing. A new addition, the Robert L. Sproull Center for Ultra High Intensity Laser Research, was opened in 2005 and houses the OMEGA EP laser, which was completed in May 2008.

The laboratory is unique in conducting big science on a university campus. More than 180 Phds have been award for research done at the LLE. During summer months the lab sponsors a program for high school students which involves local-area high school juniors in the research being done at the laboratory. Most of the projects are done on current research that is led by senior scientists at the lab.

The LLE was founded on the University of Rochester's campus in 1970, by Dr. Moshe Lubin. Working with outside companies such as Kodak the team built Delta, a four beam laser system in 1972. Construction started on the current LLE site in 1976. The facility opened in 1978 a six beam laser systems and a 24 beam system follows two years later. In 1985, Donna Strickland and Gérard Mourou invent a method to amplify lasers pulses by "chirping". This method change a single wavelength of laser light into a spectrum of wavelengths. The system amplifies the laser at each wavelength and then reconstitutes the beam into one color. Chirp pulsed amplification became instrumental in building the National Ignition Facility and the Omega EP system. In 1995, the omega laser was increased to 60 beams system and in 2008 the Omega extended performance system was opened.