The NLC photon collider option progress and plans

The idea of producing beams of high energy photons by Compton backscattering of laser photons was proposed over 20 years ago. At that time, producing the required laser pulses was not feasible. However, recent advances in high average power, diode pumped lasers appear to have solved this problem. The US Collaboration is now turning its attention to the engineering requirement of integrating the laser and optics components with the accelerator structures in the confined space of the colliding beam interaction region. The demonstration of a technically feasible interaction region design is planned for the Snowmass Conference in 2001.