Tests show CO2 laser is suitable for fusion

Two kinds of lasers are widely used for laser‐fusion research, the neodymium-glass laser with 1.06‐micron output and the carbon‐dioxide laser with 10.6 micron output. It has been a widely held belief that the neodymium‐glass laser was far superior for compression of the pellet because of its shorter wavelength. However, recent results at Los Alamos, which were reported at the Conference on Laser Engineering and Applications held in Washington in June, have called this belief into question. The Los Alamos group has compared results with the two kinds of lasers and finds striking similarities despite the factor of ten difference in wavelength. The report was made by Damon Giovanielli, Dale Henderson, Gene McCall and Roger Perkins.