Participation as the sole institution from Asia in the newly established The Diode Technology Working Group

The working group brings together world-leading institutions to collaboratively define the technical requirements and assess the feasibility of diode technologies essential for realizing IFE. Through this effort, the group aims to drive innovation across industry-wide progress in high-power diode technology and contribute to the advancement of fusion energy solutions.

Hamamatsu Photonics is proud to announce its participation as the sole institution from Asia in the newly established The Diode Technology Working Group, part of the STARFIRE Hub initiative led by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). This framework is designed to accelerate the commercialization of inertial fusion energy (IFE)*. The working group brings together world-leading institutions to collaboratively define the technical requirements and assess the feasibility of diode technologies essential for realizing IFE. Through this effort, the group aims to drive innovation across industry-wide progress in high-power diode technology and contribute to the advancement of fusion energy solutions. Its objectives include:

・Developing a common definition of diode reliability relevant to IFE ・Developing a standard for reliability tests for diodes in IFE applications ・Driving the convergence of requirements between IFE laser drivers and laser diodes

Participating organizations and companies include: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (USA), Ferdinand-Braun-Institut (Germany), Leonardo Electronics (USA), TRUMPF Photonics (USA), Coherent Corp. (USA), Lumibird (France), Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology (Germany), and Hamamatsu Photonics K.K. (Japan).

Hamamatsu Photonics seeks to advance fusion energy technology and foster innovation in industry-wide progress in high-power diode technology through this collaboration.

* In this context, Inertial Fusion Energy (IFE) refers specifically to power generation using laser fusion.

Background

In December 2022, the National Ignition Facility (NIF) at LLNL in California achieved a historic milestone in laser fusion research: ignition, where the energy produced by nuclear fusion reactions equaled the energy delivered by the laser. This breakthrough demonstrated the potential of laser fusion as a next-generation energy source that is carbon-free, safe, and clean, marking a major step forward for humanity in the pursuit of sustainable energy. Following this achievement, the U.S. Department of Energy established the STARFIRE Hub in 2023 to accelerate the scientific and technological development of IFE. The initiative was launched with a funding commitment of $16 million.

Challenges in IFE

NIF was designed to achieve scientific proof of fusion energy gain through a single ignition event. However, it does not demonstrate the continuous, repetitive operation required for commercial laser fusion power generation. Specifically, while NIF can perform single-shot experiments, laser fusion power generation demands ignition and burn cycles at a repetition rate of more than 10 times per second (>10 Hz). To meet this requirement, a new laser architecture is needed, one that differs from the flashlamp-pumped glass lasers used at NIF. The leading candidate is a ceramic laser system pumped by high-power laser diodes. Hamamatsu Photonics is at the forefront of developing this laser technology, recognized globally for its advanced capabilities in this field.

Overview of the Working Group

The Diode Technology Working Group was established with the mission of promoting the development of diode technology for fusion energy applications across the industry. By defining technical requirements and developing standardized reliability testing protocols, the group aims to accelerate innovation in diode technology and strengthen the global supply chain. These efforts are expected to lay a robust technological foundation for the future realization of commercial laser fusion power generation.