Activation Analysis of the Final Optics Assemblies at the National Ignition Facility

Commissioning shots have commenced at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Within a year, the 192 laser beam facility will be operational and the experimental phase will begin. At each shot, the emitted neutrons will interact in the facility's surroundings, activating them, especially inside the target bay where the neutron flux is the highest. We are calculating the dose from those activated structures and objects in order to plan and minimize worker exposures during maintenance and normal NIF operation. This study presents the results of the activation analysis of the optics of the Final Optics Assemblies (FOA), which are a key contributor to worker exposure. Indeed, there are 48 FOAs weighting three tons each, and routine change-out and maintenance of optics and optics modules is expected. The neutron field has been characterized using the three-dimensional Monte Carlo particle transport code MCNP with subsequent activation analysis performed using the activation code, ALARA