Specifications for a fusion laser

Some of the hardware implications of a fusion laser - pulse energy around 1 MJ, high average power, and high efficiency - are discussed. Attention is also given to the laser requirements imposed by the target pellet and to the maximization of energy absorption. Some of the problems of using neodymium-glass lasers for fusion are examined along with the limits of iodine lasers and the feasibility of using CO2 and HF lasers. The search for new fusion lasers is considered: with emphasis on the oxygen auroral-line laser and the neodymium ion laser pumped by a rare-gas halide laser.