Laser-Fusion Studies at NRL - A Report to ERDA for the Period July 1975 to September 1976.

The laser fusion program concentrated its efforts in two areas: laser-plasma interaction and Nd-glass laser systems. Major experiments included a layered target, light scatter, fast ion studies with a newly-developed ion mass spectrometer, compressed probe beam including work on its third harmonic, compressed square pulses using a cesium cell, measurement of gain of glass in realistic pump geometry optimization of glasses, system quality and reliability improvements, automatic laser alignment, lead oxide vidicons. This report is divided into two sections, text and selected reprints, to encompass the range of NRL's research effort.