The Energy Technologies Area (ETA) is unique in translating fundamental scientific discoveries into scalable technology adoption. Our approach combines an understanding of the marketplace and the role of state and federal regulation and policies. ETA’s research drives real-world, practical results that affect and improve the everyday lives of Americans and those across the globe. Saving energy and battling the Climate Crisis are key to the foundation of our research, which is driven by techno-economic analysis and in-lab experimentation and discovery.

The Physical Sciences Area seeks to understand the fundamental physics of the universe at scales ranging from the infinitely small, inside the world of subatomic particles and nuclei, to the infinitely large, in the structure and evolution of the universe. To tackle these two infinities, we develop cutting-edge tools and technologies, coupled with creative scientific insights, that advance scientific knowledge and ultimately benefit society.

The Chemical Sciences Division is Berkeley Lab’s home for fundamental research in chemistry and chemical engineering. Our work provides the starting points for new and advanced energy technologies and for mitigating the environmental impacts of energy use.

ANP performs research and development in the detection and imaging of radiation to address outstanding questions in basic science, nuclear security and safety, and medicine. Their activities range from developing new detector concepts to the demonstration of advanced sensor systems and algorithms in real-world environments.

The BELLA Center uses some of the world’s fastest and most powerful lasers to drive LPAs and to address various scientific needs. These include future high-energy physics colliders, ultrafast photon, and particle beams for probing matter, ultra-intense beams for high-energy-density science, novel beams for biological studies, and national security and industry applications.

The laser technologies group works at the intersection of physics, chemistry, and engineering to develop the next generation of novel laser sensors for identifying the chemical makeup of materials in real-time. Applications include energy storage (batteries), energy conversion (solar), biology, environment, and nuclear security.

The core mission of the Heavy Element Chemistry (HEC) program is to pioneer innovative experimental approaches and perform basic research in actinide and transactinide chemistry, to understand and control at a fundamental level bonding, physical properties, and reactivity of the heavy elements across multiple-length scales, with a particular focus on the roles of f electrons and orbitals. Accompanying this core mission is the education and training of future scientific leaders in the field.