Tri-Valley CAREs

Dr. Stephen Bodner was the leader of the laser fusion program at the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) from 1975 to his retirement in 1999. From 1964 to 1974 he was employed at LLNL in the magnetic fusion and laser fusion programs. Dr. Bodner was an author of numerous research papers in the topics of lasers, plasma physics, and laser fusion target design. The NRL program emphasizes the "direct drive" approach to laser fusion, in contrast to the "indirect drive" approach pursued at LLNL. The NRL program began with glass lasers, but later shifted to krypton-flouride gas lasers which have the potential for direct application to a fusion power plant.