Maintaining maritime superiority of U.S. naval operations—from the seafloor to space, relies
upon the Naval Research Enterprise delivering a continuous stream of advanced technologies.
The Naval Research Laboratory’s (NRL) Plasma Physics Division (PPD) was established in
1966 to create X-ray simulators for testing nuclear weapons effects on materials and
components of military hardware, to study the physics and effects of High-Altitude Nuclear Explosions in space, and to perform research to realize nuclear fusion as an energy source.
Today, NRL PPD conducts a broad portfolio of basic & applied research on the physics and applications of plasmas, (hot ionized gases often termed the fourth state of matter) and the high energy density technologies that are used to create them.
NRL research extends from the laboratory to the near-earth space environment. PPD has unique laser and pulsed power sources to create the high energy density environments. Applications include understanding space weather, the propagation and interaction of laser beams with materials, direct drive laser inertial confinement fusion, and ultra-low temperature plasmas for advanced electronic material processing. The research combines theoretical & computational modelling with in-house & external experiments and focuses on providing benefit to the Navy & Marine Corps, as well as the broader S&T community, both nationally & internationally.
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