Construction of the Shiva laser system is nearing completion. This laser will be operating in fall 1977 and will produce over 20 terawatts of focusable power in a subnanosecond pulse. Fusion experiments will begin early in 1978. It is anticipated that thermonuclear energy release equal to one percent that of the incident light energy will be achieved with sub-millimeter deuterium-tritium targets. From other experiments densities in excess of a thousand times that of liquid are also expected.

The creep deformation and rupture of type 304/308 stainless steel structural weldments at 593/sup 0/C (1100/sup 0/F) was experimentally investigated to study the comparative behavior of the base metal and weld metal constituents. The tests were conducted in support of ORNL's program to develop high-temperature structural design methods applicable to liquid-metal fast breeder reactor (LMFBR) system components that operate in the creep range. The specimens used were thin-walled, right circular cylinders capped with either flat or hemispherical heads and tested under internal gas pressure. Circumferential welds were located in different regions of the cylinder or head and, with one exception, were geometrically duplicated by all base metal regions in companion specimens. Results are presented on the comparative deformation and rupture behavior of selected points in the base metal and weldment regions of the different specimens and on the overall surface strains for selected specimens.