LLNL details specifications for NIF optics

At a February meeting in Pleasanton, CA, representatives from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL, Livermore, CA) discussed the specifications for many of the optical elements required for the preliminary design of the National Ignition Facility. The briefing was designed to inform potential industry participants in the project about requirements and pricing issues. Dozens of large and small optics companies attended. Low wavefront distortion, high damage threshold, large clear apertures, and minimal inclusions are all requirements for the more than 15,000 optical elements in the system. LLNL expects the program to cost about $1.1 billion, with 75% of that amount going to private industry.