Plasma Electrode Pockels Cells for Inertial Fusion Facilities

Significant progress in nuclear fusion reactions has been reported by a national laser fusion laboratory achieving nuclear fusion ignition. Ignition is the long sought answer for providing large amounts of clean energy by producing more energy output than what was used to initiate the controlled fusion process. The technology to add nuclear fusion to provide power to the grid, called inertial fusion energy, has not been developed at the same pace, with a lack of high-power optics able to support the high-power laser systems required to reach ignition. An emerging electro-optic technology that can support high-energy high-power lasers is the Plasma Electrode Pockels Cell. This cell has been demonstrated as a means to reduce the size and cost of high-power laser systems, while supporting larger aperture lasers that standard Pockels cells cannot. This new technology can also support higher repetition rates which is critical for transitioning ignition from the infrequent mode of operation at national facilities to several hertz of operation in power plants on the grid. In this Phase II effort, a prototype of the heart of the Plasma Electrode Pockels cell will be built and tested, and the technology transfer of the full system will continue. The potential user market will continue to be polled to identify future performance required to support this emerging market for Inertial Fusion Energy. A product road map and commercialization plan will be refined in support of future phases. The electro-optic Plasma Electrode Pockels Cell technology is a direct enabler of high-power high-energy modular lasers that can be deployed to achieve Inertial Fusion Energy in next generation power plants serving as a source of clean energy. This technology can support the growing number of start-ups pursuing Inertial Fusion Energy, as well as existing laser companies providing high-power lasers to national facilities and businesses.