Capabilities & Facilities

Our researchers utilize world-class scientific capabilities and modern high-performance computing facilities to support Laboratory programs. Listed below are LLNL’s state-of-the-art capabilities commonly used by our scientists.

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Accelerator Complex

Contact: Scott Anderson

LLNL’s accelerator complex houses sophisticated tools to accelerate charged particles to incredibly high speeds. Located three stories underground, these instruments allow our nuclear physicists to detect isotopes, create fast neutrons, peer inside heavily shielded objects, and characterize unknown material.

Additional information is available on the Accelerator Complex webpage.

Actinide Materials

Contact: Scott McCall

We support global and national security missions by maintaining capabilities to synthesize, characterize, and test materials containing actinides.

Aerosol Inhalation Research Laboratory (AIRLAB)

Contact: Nicole Collette

The AIRLAB is a state-of-the-art facility used to test and analyze airborne particles in small animal models. In the facility’s controlled environment, researchers study inhalation exposure to pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and environmental pollutants, while maintaining the highest safety standards.

To learn more, download the AIRLAB fact sheet.

Animal Care Facility (ACF)

Contact: acf [at] lists.llnl.gov (ACF support)

The Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animals, International (AAALAC)-accredited and Public Health Service (PHS) Assured animal facility houses several thousand small animals, which are cared for by full-time Laboratory animal technologists. Animal models are used in comparative genomics studies that focus on understanding gene regulation and for vaccine and countermeasure development.

Autoradiography Imaging

Contact: Kim Knight

Sub-millimeter resolution alpha and beta radioactivity imaging

Center for Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (CAMS)

Contact: Nanette Sorensen or Scott Tumey

Researchers at CAMS use diverse analytical techniques and state-of-the-art instrumentation to develop and apply unique, ultra-sensitive isotope ratio measurement and ion beam analytical techniques.

Additional information is available on the CAMS website.

Center for Micro- and Nanotechnology (CMNT)

Contact: Engineering Directorate

Researchers at the CMNT invent, develop, and apply microscale and nanoscale technologies to support LLNL missions. The research and capabilities of the Center cover materials, devices, instruments, and systems that require microfabricated components, including microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), electronics, photonics, micro- and nanostructures, and micro- and nanoactuators.

Additional information is available on the Engineering website.

Center for National Security Applications of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR)

Contact: Derrick Kaseman

The NMR facility provides advanced characterization of chemical processes and materials using magnetically passed spectroscopic capabilities. The center houses multiple spectrometers used to analyze solids, liquids, and gases, including explosives, highly toxic industrial chemicals, and chemical and biological threat agents.

Computational Chemistry and Materials Science (CCMS) Summer Institute

Develop and apply methods in computational materials science, computational chemistry, and other related areas of computational science.

Learn more about the CCMS internship.

Computational Nuclear Physics

Contact: Bret Beck

We measure, collect, and evaluate nuclear data and incorporate these data into libraries to be used in simulations. We provide nuclear data, physics simulation, and data processing tools for experimental and theoretical nuclear data.

Additional information is available on the Computational Nuclear Physics website.

Cooperative Research Center for NanoScaffold-based Chlamydia trachomatis Vaccines

Cooperative Research Center for NanoScaffold-based Chlamydia trachomatis Vaccines

Contact: Matthew Coleman

Leading experts in immunology and nanotechnology are developing and testing a new type of vaccine to prevent sexually transmitted infections caused by the Chlamydia trachomatis (Ct) pathogen.

Additional information is available on the Cooperative Research Center for NanoScaffold-based Chlamydia trachomatis Vaccines webpage.

Data Science Summer Institute

Work on data science problems that matter to the nation while pursuing a degree in machine learning, statistics, applied mathematics, computer science, or similar fields.

Learn more about the Data Science Summer Institute.

Diamond Anvil Cell (DAC) and Ultrafast Science

Contact: Geoffrey Campbell

Our diamond anvil-based laboratories can measure materials properties at static pressures above 1 Mbar, providing essential equation-of-state information for weapons, experiment design, and further study of the chemistries that control unique material formation. Additional experiments to study shock compression with 10 picosecond time resolution are pushing the limits of current theories of the metal strength, phase transitions, and chemical kinetics.

Dynamic Transmission Electron Microscope (DTEM)

Contact: Geoffrey Campbell

The LLNL-developed DTEM enables direct observation of unique mechanical properties controlled by features at the nanoscale.

Additional information is available on the DTEM webpage.

Electron Beam Ion Trap (EBIT)

Contact: Greg Brown

An EBIT makes and traps very highly charged ions by means of a high-current density electron beam. The ions can be observed in the trap itself or extracted from the trap for external experiments. Our EBIT is the only ion source in the world that can create highly charged ions that are practically at rest, allowing us to study an otherwise inaccessible domain.

Additional information is available on the EBIT website.

Electron Microscopy

Contact: Kerri Blobaum

LLNL maintains state-of-the-art capabilities in scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to characterize materials.

Energetic Materials Center (EMC)

Contact: Lara Leininger

The EMC supports research and development for advanced conventional weapons, rocket and gun propellants, homeland security, demilitarization, and industrial applications of energetic materials. Our researchers, as part of the EMC, specialize in the modeling and experimentation surrounding the development, characterization, and effectiveness of high explosives.

Additional information is available on the EMC website.

Feedstocks for Additive Manufacturing

Contact: Yong Han

Our scientists and engineers optimize additive manufacturing (3D printing) techniques, such as direct-ink writing, through focused investments in feedstock development. Using computer programs to simulate particle size and scale, we develop new feedstock materials from combinations of polymers, composites, and ceramics, with applications ranging from weapon components to energy innovations.

Forensic Science Center (FSC)

Contact: Audrey Williams

FSC researchers analyze interdicted samples, provide radiological assistance 24/7, and engage in the critical research and development needs of the intelligence community. FSC expertise includes analytical chemistry, organic chemistry, inorganic chemistry, nuclear chemistry, and forensic instrument design and fabrication.

Additional information is available in the FSC Fact Sheet and on the FSC website.

Glenn T. Seaborg Institute

Contact: Mavrik Zavarin

The LLNL branch of the Glenn T. Seaborg Institute conducts collaborative research between LLNL and the academic community in radiochemistry and nuclear forensics, contributing to the education and training of undergraduate and graduate students, postdocs, and faculty in transactinium science.

Additional information is available on the Seaborg Institute website.

High Containment Facility (HCF)

Contact: Amy Rasley

LLNL’s HCF provides cutting-edge research capabilities that are used to study high-consequence pathogens, helping to protect the nation from emerging biothreats and pandemics. It also supports data integration across the national security enterprise and serves the needs of national security and public health sponsors.

High Energy Density Science (HEDS) Center

Contact: Frank Graziani

The HEDS Center fosters collaborations with university faculty and students that have the potential to enhance high-energy-density science research. The HEDS Center facilitates access to LLNL’s HEDS experimental facilities and high-performance computing resources in order to support research important to the Department of Energy.

Additional information is available on the HEDS Center website.

High Energy Density Science (HEDS) Center Internship

Study matter at extreme conditions—such as those found inside stars or the cores of giant planets—using world-class laser facilities.

Learn more about the HEDS Center internship.

High Explosives Applications Facility (HEAF)

Contact: Lara Leininger

HEAF houses unique facilities for the synthesis, characterization, and testing of high explosives and other energetic materials. HEAF is also equipped with extensive, high-fidelity, high-speed diagnostic capabilities, including x-ray radiography, high-speed photography, laser velocimetry, and embedded particle velocity/pressure measurements.

Additional information is available on the HEAF webpage.

High-Performance Computing

Contact: lc-support [at] llnl.gov (LC support)

LLNL is home to a first-class computational infrastructure that supports the high-performance computing requirements of the Laboratory’s mission and research scientists. Livermore Computing provides the systems, tools, and expertise needed to enable discovery and innovation through simulations.

Additional information is available on the Livermore Computing Center website.

High-Performance Computing (HPC) Innovation Center

Contact: HPC Innovation Center

LLNL’s HPC Innovation Center connects companies with computational science and computer science experts, on demand, to help them solve their toughest challenges. It also provides cost-effective access to some of the world’s largest HPC systems and rapidly assembles expert teams to develop, prove, and deploy high-impact solutions across a broad range of industries and applications.

Additional information is available on the HPC Innovation Center website.

Integrated Multi-Omics Facility (IMOF)

Contact: LLNL sequencing at seqllnl [at] llnl.gov (SeqLLNL[at]llnl[dot]gov)

IMOF provides end-to-end support for genome-scale and cell-resolved molecular profiling across genomics, epigenetics, transcriptomics, single-cell and spatial omics, and microbial sequencing. MOF also offers comprehensive bioinformatics and computational analysis capabilities, including data processing, quality control, multi-omic integration, and advanced analytics.

Additional information is available on the IMOF webpage.

Joint Genome Institute (JGI)

Contact: Crystal Jaing

The JGI is a high-throughput genome sequencing and analysis facility dedicated to the genomics of nonmedical microbes, microbial communities, plants, fungi, and other targets relevant to DOE mission areas in energy and infrastructure security. Scientists from the Genomics group support key missions of JGI by performing DNA sequencing experiments and sequencing data analysis utilizing unique molecular biology skills and state-of-the-art instrumentation.

Additional information is available on the JGI website.

Jupiter Laser Facility (JLF)

Contact: Félicie Albert

JLF is a unique laser user facility for research in high-energy-density science. Its diverse laser platforms offer researchers a wide range of capabilities to produce and explore states of matter under extreme conditions of high density, pressure, and temperature.

Additional information is available on the JLF website.

Laboratory for Energy Applications for the Future (LEAF)

Contact: Brandon Wood

LEAF is a multidisciplinary center that develops disruptive technologies for the grid, transportation, and the environment from inception to demonstration.

Additional information is available on the LEAF website.

Livermore Center for Quantum Science

Contact: Kristi Beck

To advance the development and deployment of next-generation quantum technologies and accelerate research solutions, the Livermore Center for Quantum Science cultivates new collaborations both within LLNL and across the broader community. The center’s aim is to explore how quantum sensing and computing can effectively address national security challenges and meet mission needs, while also leveraging LLNL technology to meet the demands of these innovations.

Additional information is available on the Quantum Science and Technology website.

Livermore Center for Quantum Science (LCQS) Internship

Connect with LLNL scientists working in quantum computing, quantum algorithms, and quantum sensing.

Learn more about the LCQS internship.

Mass Spectrometry

Contact: Rachel Lindvall

LLNL’s mass spectrometry instruments offer experimental and diagnostic techniques that make it possible to count atoms, study lunar rocks, isolate isotopes, and characterize unknown material. These sophisticated tools enable our nuclear chemists, cosmochemists, and radiochemists to tackle complex science challenges.

Additional information is available on the Mass Spectrometry webpage.

Materials and Chemistry Institute (MaCI) Summer Program

Gain hands-on experience in materials synthesis, materials characterization, materials processing, analytical chemistry, actinide materials science, optical materials science, electrochemistry, materials engineering, materials chemistry, and physics.

Learn more about the MaCI summer program.

Nanoscale Synthesis and Characterization Laboratory (NSCL)

Contact: Alex Hamza

NSCL is making advances in science at the intersection of physics, materials science, engineering, and chemistry. We are pursuing research in nanoporous materials, advanced nano crystalline materials, novel 3D nanofabrication technologies, and nondestructive characterization at the mesoscale.

Additional information is available on the NSCL webpage.

National Atmospheric Release Advisory Center (NARAC)

Contact: Lee Glascoe

NARAC is a national support and resource center for planning, real-time assessment, emergency response, and detailed studies of atmospheric releases of nuclear, radiological, chemical, biological, and natural materials. NARAC provides timely and accurate atmospheric plume predictions to aid emergency preparedness and response efforts in protecting the public and the environment.

Additional information is available on the NARAC website.

National Ignition Facility (NIF)

Contact: Dayne Fratanduono

NIF houses the world’s largest and highest-energy laser. NIF’s laser beams routinely create temperatures and pressures similar to those that exist only in the cores of stars and giant planets and inside nuclear weapons. The facilities are a key element of maintaining the reliability and safety of the U.S. nuclear deterrent without full-scale testing.

Additional information is available on the NIF website.

National User Resource for Biological Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (BioAMS)

Contact: Graham Bench

BioAMS makes accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) available to biomedical researchers who need to accurately measure very low levels of radioisotopes. BioAMS is working to enhance AMS for analysis of radioisotopes in biomedical tracer studies through development of new methods and instrumentation.

Additional information is available on the BioAMS website.

Nuclear Counting Facility (NCF)

Contact: Keenan Thomas

Located two floors below ground, with a layer of shielding materials between floors to minimize background radiation, LLNL’s Nuclear Counting Facility provides high-sensitivity radiation measurements. Its assets include gamma spectrometers, solid-state detectors, alpha and beta counting systems employing ionization gas chambers, and liquid scintillation techniques.

The facility supports research in stockpile stewardship, nonproliferation, and counterterrorism, including:

Analyzing samples and surrogate materials in support of nuclear forensics efforts.
Studying samples collected during underground nuclear tests, which ended in 1992.
Determining the number of radioactive atoms produced during experiments at LLNL’s National Ignition Facility.

Nuclear Science and Security Summer Internship Program

Work directly with leading LLNL researchers on projects in nuclear forensics, nuclear chemistry, and environmental radiochemistry.

Learn more about the summer internship in nuclear science and security.

Optical Sciences

Contact: Wim De Vries

Our experts develop x-ray adaptive optics systems and optical payloads for nano-satellites. We have explored the use of survey telescopes for dark matter research, developed algorithms and software tools for simulation of orbital space events, and implemented sensor calibration and exploitation strategies for hyperspectral airborne sensors.

Physics Internship

Research topics spanning astrophysics, planetary science, plasma science, fusion energy, optical science, and quantum science.

Learn more about our internship in physics.

Polymer Science

Contact: James Lewicki

We maintain capabilities to synthesize, characterize, and model a broad range of polymeric materials and architectures.

Quantum Coherent Device Laboratory

Contact: Yaniv Rosen

The Quantum Coherent Device Laboratory is a state-of-the-art research environment for quantum processor unit development. Learn more on the Quantum Coherent Device Laboratory webpage.

Radiative Properties

Contact: Marilyn Schneider

Our experts determine the radiation properties of plasmas produced at laser facilities such as the National Ignition Facility, the Jupiter Laser Facility, and the electron beam ion trap. These properties range from the basic atomic physics of isolated ions to opacities and radiation flow in hot dense matter to electron-positron pair production.

Radiochemistry Facilities

Contact: Roger Henderson

LLNL’s radiochemistry research facility houses more than 50 laboratories designed specifically for experiments focused on studying radioactive isotopes and element transformation. From trace-level environmental analysis of tritium, to high-activity transuranic samples, our capabilities allow us to analyze solid, liquid, and gas samples.

Our radiochemistry labs include fume hoods and gloveboxes, as well as class-100 clean rooms for extremely sensitive chemistry and measurements.

Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS)

Contact: Zurong Dai

Scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, electron diffraction

Space Science Institute (SSI)

Contact: Megan E. Eckart

The SSI builds on Lawrence Livermore’s strengths in planetary science, astrophysics, nuclear science, optics, engineering, data science, and computing to develop high-impact projects and a mission-ready workforce.

Additional information is available on the SSI website.

Space Science Institute (SSI) Summer Internship Program

Develop skills by conducting practical astrophysics and planetary science research at LLNL under the supervision of a staff scientist.

Learn more about the SSI summer internship program.

X-ray Diagnostics

Contact: Stefan Hau-Reige

Our researchers use a wide range of diagnostics to measure and record experimental data. To obtain measurements needed for their cutting-edge research, our scientists have to develop new tools and continually add to their suite of diagnostic instruments.

X-ray Diffraction (XRD)

Contact: Charlotte Eng

Crystallography of bulk solids

X-ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy

Contact: Charlotte Eng

Our instruments enable bulk elemental analysis with ppm-level detection limits.

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