Hohlraum-driven ignitionlike double-shell implosions on the omega laser facility

• Published in: Physical review letters Vol. 94; no. 6; pp. 065004.1 - 065004.4
• Main Authors: AMENDT, Peter A, ROBEY, Harry F, GLEBOV, V. Yu, PARK, H.-S, TIPTON, R. E, TURNER, R. E, MILOVICH, J. L, BONO, M, HIBBARD, R, LOUIS, H, WALLACE, R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Ridge, NY American Physical Society 18-02-2005
• Subjects: 70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY; COMPRESSION; DESIGN; Exact sciences and technology; FABRICATION; GOLD; IGNITION; IMPLOSIONS; INERTIAL CONFINEMENT; Laser inertial confinement; LASERS; national synchrotron light source; NEUTRONS; OPTIMIZATION; Physics; PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS; Physics of gases, plasmas and electric discharges; Physics of plasmas and electric discharges; PRODUCTION; TARGETS; US NATIONAL IGNITION FACILITY; Deuterium; Fusion reactor ignition; Gold; Laser facilities; Laser implosions; Tritium; Experimental study; Cylindrical shape; X-ray imaging; Capsules; Hohlraum; Fusion reactor targets; Laser targets; Omega facility; Neutron production; Inertial confinement fusion
• ISSN: 0031-9007; 1079-7114
• DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.94.065004

High-convergence ignitionlike double-shell implosion experiments have been performed on the Omega laser facility using cylindrical gold hohlraums with 40 drive beams. Repeatable, dominant primary (2.45 MeV) neutron production from the mix-susceptible compressional phase of a double-shell implosion, using fall-line design optimization and exacting fabrication standards, is experimentally inferred from time-resolved core x-ray imaging. Effective control of fuel-pusher mix during final compression is essential for achieving noncryogenic ignition with double-shell targets on the National Ignition Facility.