Gooch & Housego receives second award in 2008 from LLNL

May 9, 2008--Gooch & Housego (Ilminster, England) was recognized for a second time in 2008 by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) for a Vendor Appreciation award crediting its performance in the growth and fabrication of crystals for the National Ignition Facility (NIF) at LLNL.

The large aperture potassium dihydrogen phosphate and potassium dideuterium phosphate crystals, supplied by Gooch & Housego Cleveland in the U.S., will be used for harmonic frequency generation and plasma electrode Pockels cells at the NIF, which aims to achieve self-sustaining nuclear fusion and energy gain. The crystals are the largest produced in the world and, due to Gooch & Housego's expertise in the machining of KDP components and its 30 year relationship with the LLNL, it is now the only approved KDP fabrication site supplying the NIF.

This is the second award presented to the company within the space of four months. Gooch & Housego was also recognized in January for the supply of crystal quartz wave plates to the NIF program.

The NIF, which will be complete in 2009, will be used as part of the U.S. Department Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration's Stockpile Stewardship program to ensure the safety and security of the nuclear weapons stockpile. The NIF will also be used for energy, astrophysics, and basic science research.

For more information, visit www.goochandhousego.com.