MEC and MEC-U: Discovery science and technology and workforce development for fusion energy

The MEC-U project will deliver a new open-access experimental facility on an LCLS XFEL hard X-ray beamline. Its major scope elements include: a high-intensity, high-rep-rate laser producing 1 petawatt (PW) peak power at 10 Hz; a high-rep-rate shock compression laser at 10 Hz; a kilojoule shock compression laser; and a flexible target chamber enabling a broad range of experimental configurations exploiting the diagnostic power of LCLS. The facility will enable a broad range of experiments to address priority HED and fusion plasma science with unmatched precision and will be built to support future upgrades to the laser systems.

While conceived as a facility for general HEDLP plasma research, MEC–U can address a range of priority research needs for the developing IFE program. For example, in experiments to improve understanding of how the flaws and impurities within IFE targets will impact the driver coupling efficiency, the fuel compressibility, and material performance limits at extreme conditions. While several US facilities can reach the relevant conditions, only MEC-U is designed to reach them with a diagnostic resolving power sufficient to discover and constrain the underlying physics controlling plasma performance. Further, MEC-U will contribute to the development of the required high repetition rate lasers and target delivery systems necessary for IFE, through the development of experiments at up to 10 Hz, with associated developments in AI/ML and operation under harsh environments.