... World's Largest Laser !

- Market Wire

SAN JOSE, CA, Feb. 01, 2005 (MARKET WIRE via COMTEX) -- JDS Uniphase today announced that it has been awarded a contract to provide electro-optic modulators for the National Ignition Facility (NIF) Project at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). When completed in 2008, NIF is expected to be the largest laser in the world. As part of this 192-beam laser system NIF is using custom designed and manufactured JDS Uniphase lithium niobate modulators.

NIF's 192 beams will produce a combined 500 trillion watts of power in an ultraviolet laser pulse with energy up to 1.8 megajoules. With JDS Uniphase design expertise and transmission modulators, which are critical for precise pulse shaping, the NIF laser can perform a broad range of applications in high-energy-density, inertial fusion energy, and basic science research.

"NIF's phase and amplitude modulators must meet the stringent technical requirements," said Dr. George Miller, LLNL associate director for National Ignition Facility Programs. "These custom modulators were developed in partnership between the NIF laser design team and JDS Uniphase engineers."

"We believe our broad portfolio of analog, digital, and custom modulators, coupled with our industry-leading expertise in integrated optics, allow us to meet very unique needs for our customers' mission-critical designs, such as the NIF project," said Mike Ricci, vice president of the Components and Modules Group at JDS Uniphase. "Even as we address customers' current needs, meeting challenges on innovative projects such as NIF has allowed us to refine skills that are critical to developing cutting-edge commercial applications."

About NIF and Laser Research at LLNL

The NIF project is currently under construction at LLNL with funding from the Department of Energy (DOE) and the National Nuclear Security Administration. Experiments performed on NIF will be essential to DOE's Stockpile Stewardship Program to ensure the safety, performance, and reliability of the nation's nuclear stockpile. NIF will also have basic science applications in such areas as astrophysics, hydrodynamics, and material properties, and is expected to provide insight into the viability of thermonuclear fusion as a future economic energy source. NIF is the latest in a long line of large laser systems at LLNL dating back to the mid-1970's built for inertial confinement fusion research. A number of innovations have arisen from laser research as LLNL including small, inexpensive radars for motion detectors; backup system alarms; and medical monitors; CAD/CAM systems used in engineering; fast, hand-held biological detection devices; and lasers for medicine and manufacturing. LLNL is a world leader in laser science and technology and laser researchers at LLNL have been awarded 48 R&D 100 awards since 1978.

About JDS Uniphase

JDS Uniphase Corporation designs and manufactures products that provide innovative optical solutions for communications, commercial and consumer applications. The Company offers components, modules and subsystems for a variety of markets including communications, display, commercial lasers, document, and product authentication. More information is available at www.jdsu.com.

General Inquiries: Contact your JDS Uniphase Representative or call 800-498-5378 in North America or + 800-5378-5378 outside of North America.

Media Inquiries: Pamela Sufi, Corporate Marketing Communications, 408-546-4714 or [email protected]


   Media Inquiries:
   Pamela Sufi
   Corporate Marketing Communications
   408-546-4714
   or [email protected]
   
   
SOURCE: JDS Uniphase