Laser fusion energy must operate stably at more than ten shots per second to become a practical energy source, even though energy gain (ignition) has already been demonstrated in laser fusion. This high-repetition operation is the greatest technological challenge today and is the central objective of this project.
This project aims to achieve a technological breakthrough by enabling high-repetition operation of power lasers. The core technology is the Optical Enhanced Cavity (OEC) laser, a new type of power laser that stores light energy in space between high-reflective mirrors. The OEC laser is expected to deliver high repetition rate, high efficiency, and lower cost by avoiding the thermal limitations of conventional solid-state glass lasers used as fusion drivers.
This project also establishes the OEC laser as a collaborative technological platform to accelerate fusion research. It will develop the OEC-laser-based Autonomous System for Innovative Fusion Sciences (OASIS), an integrated autonomous research system that combines laser irradiation, fuel delivery, diagnostics, data analysis, and simulation.
Traditional laser-fusion experiments have relied on solid-state glass lasers with strict thermal limits. These limits have restricted operation to low repetition rates and have produced insufficient experimental data. The lack of data has slowed validation of ignition conditions and progress in research and development toward fusion energy.
OASIS will enable rapid optimization of fusion conditions and systematic accumulation of technical knowledge. These advances will contribute to the realization of practical laser fusion.