A major technological milestone in optical glass melting for the National Ignition Facility (NIF) has been achieved by Hoya Corportion USA, at their laser glass manufacturing plant in Fremont, CA. Using a novel continuous glass melting system approximately 150 feet long and two stories high, Hoya is producing 20 tons of high quality laser glass per month. To date, Hoya has produced almost a thousand neodymium-doped laser glass slabs for the NIF and several hundred for the French Laser Megajoule (LMJ) project. Hoya is scheduled to produce 4000 of the 8000 slabs needed for NIF and LMJ. Schott Glass Technologies is producing the other 4000 slabs. Between Hoya and Schott, approximately 1500 slabs will be produced annually.

NIF project manager Ed Moses said, "Hoya's work in this area is outstanding. Along with the glass slabs produced by Schott Glass Technologies, roughly half of the total glass slabs need for NIF have been produced."

The glass produced by Hoya's continuous melting system has successfully achieved all of the stringent glass specifications required for NIF and LMJ. In particular, the glass contains essentially no microscopic platinum particles that could produce laser-induced damage within the glass at NIF and LMJ's high operating fluence. The optical homogeneity surpasses the transmitted wavefront specification by about a factor of two."

"We appreciate the opportunity to work with LLNL and the French Government on these very important projects," said Gerald Bottero, president and chief executive officer of Hoya Corporation USA. "We've worked with this special glass since 1973 and we commend our employees for their dedication and commitment to perfecting this technology."

Further information can be found at http://www.llnl.gov/nif