This document details the VME/CIPRICO Interface routines (VII). These routines where designed to allow programs written in PILS running on a MVME 101 under Valet-plus to control a CIPRICO tape controller. The routines fall into two general types. The low level routines, such as vti-make-pb, create the data structures used by the CIPRICO as well as manipulate the CIPRICO's control registers. The high level routines, such as vti-rewind, use the lower level routines to carry out complete functions on tape drives. Most tape operations are implemented except for ring buffer record routines. The creation of ring buffer record lists linked to parameter blocks is possible, but no high level routines are implemented to work with these lists. Memory utilization, parameter block creation and linking, polling and interrupts, status reporting, and the VTI routines are discussed. 2 refs.

During the past year design of the Nova laser has undergone significant change as a result of developments in our laser glass and optical coating evaluation programs. Two notable aspects of the glass development program deserve emphasis. First, vendor qualification for production of fluorophosphate laser glass is progressing satisfactorily. There is a reasonable expectation that vendors can meet fluorophosphate glass specifications within Nova schedule constraints. Secondly, recent gain saturation measurements have shown that the saturation fluence of the fluorophosphate glass is larger than previously supposed (approx. 5.5 J/cm/sup 2/) and in fact is somewhat larger than Shiva silicate glasses. Hence, performance of Nova for pulses in the 3 ns and longer range should be satisfactory. For pulses in the 1 ns regime, of course, the fluorophosphate chain will have superior performance to that of silicate because of its low nonlinear index of refraction (approx. 30% that of silicate). These and other considerations have led us to choose a chain design based upon the use of fluorophosphate glass in our amplifiers.

The system of brass plugs set in the Main Ring tunnel floor for use in radial alignment of Doubler elements is described. Considerations leading to the choice of plug positions and properties are discussed. The quantitative relationship between the plugs and the Doubler orbit is presented in sufficient detail so that they can be used by anybody to align Doubler elements both radially and along the beam. Neither the origin or the accuracy of the system is discussed in detail.