The University of Rochester's Laboratory for Laser Energetics is set to receive $111 million from the federal government for 2026, a new record for the facility.
The money from the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration represents a 17% increase from the prior fiscal year, according to the university. The lab is the largest university-based Department of Energy laser facility in the country and is used for fusion and physics research.
The new funding enables the university to make upgrades to the Omega Laser Facility, which includes a high-precision, high-powered ultraviolet laser. Officials said that investment allows them to modernize the facility to meet anticipated needs in the 2040s.
The lab is a "cornerstone" of the country's efforts to study high-energy-density physics and laser-driven fusion, according to the university. The new money will allow the lab to continue working with scientists in national laboratories and universities to develop things such as novel diagnostics, experimental platforms, and laser technologies, and to do research around laser-driven ignition.
The lab is also used for research that helps bolster national security.
