The first demonstration of fusion in the laboratory required the National Ignition Facility (NIF) to leverage its novel approach to laser-induced damage; managing laser-induced damage rather than avoiding it. Accepting regular damage to the laser’s final optics allows the NIF to deliver about 300% higher energy on its targets. This mode of operation is made viable by a unique optics maintenance strategy and a variety of damage management and mitigation. We will review the prominent damage mitigation and management technologies which are classified in three categories: Damage Initiation Prevention, Damage Management, and Damage Repair. Examples of these technologies are the Fused Silica Debris Shield, AI driven damage detection, and the CO2 mitigation cone, respectively. We introduce a simple empirical model which both quantifies individual and combined impacts of the technologies on NIF’s optics usage.
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