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Title: Seeding magnetic fields for laser-driven flux compression in high-energy-density plasmas

Abstract

A compact, self-contained magnetic-seed-field generator (5 to 16 T) is the enabling technology for a novel laser-driven flux-compression scheme in laser-driven targets. A magnetized target is directly irradiated by a kilojoule or megajoule laser to compress the preseeded magnetic field to thousands of teslas. A fast (300 ns), 80 kA current pulse delivered by a portable pulsed-power system is discharged into a low-mass coil that surrounds the laser target. A >15 T target field has been demonstrated using a <100 J capacitor bank, a laser-triggered switch, and a low-impedance (<1 {Omega}) strip line. The device has been integrated into a series of magnetic-flux-compression experiments on the 60 beam, 30 kJ OMEGA laser [T. R. Boehly et al., Opt. Commun. 133, 495 (1997)]. The initial application is a novel magneto-inertial fusion approach [O. V. Gotchev et al., J. Fusion Energy 27, 25 (2008)] to inertial confinement fusion (ICF), where the amplified magnetic field can inhibit thermal conduction losses from the hot spot of a compressed target. This can lead to the ignition of massive shells imploded with low velocity--a way of reaching higher gains than is possible with conventional ICF.

Authors:
 [1]; ;  [1];  [1];  [1]; ;  [1]
  1. Laboratory for Laser Energetics, University of Rochester, 250 East River Road, Rochester, New York 14623 (United States)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
22053468
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Review of Scientific Instruments
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 80; Journal Issue: 4; Other Information: (c) 2009 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); Journal ID: ISSN 0034-6748
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY; 46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY; CAPACITORS; ENERGY DENSITY; HOT SPOTS; ICF DEVICES; INERTIAL CONFINEMENT; INERTIAL FUSION DRIVERS; LASER TARGETS; LASERS; MAGNETIC FIELDS; MAGNETIC FLUX; PLASMA PRODUCTION; PLASMA SEEDING; PULSES; SHELLS; SWITCHES; THERMAL CONDUCTION

Citation Formats

Gotchev, O V, Fusion Science Center for Extreme States of Matter and Fast Ignition Physics, University of Rochester, 250 East River Road, Rochester, New York 14623, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14627, Knauer, J P, Shoup, III, M J, Chang, P Y, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14627, Jang, N W, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14627, Meyerhofer, D D, Betti, R, Fusion Science Center for Extreme States of Matter and Fast Ignition Physics, University of Rochester, 250 East River Road, Rochester, New York 14623, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14627, and Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14627. Seeding magnetic fields for laser-driven flux compression in high-energy-density plasmas. United States: N. p., 2009. Web. doi:10.1063/1.3115983.
Gotchev, O V, Fusion Science Center for Extreme States of Matter and Fast Ignition Physics, University of Rochester, 250 East River Road, Rochester, New York 14623, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14627, Knauer, J P, Shoup, III, M J, Chang, P Y, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14627, Jang, N W, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14627, Meyerhofer, D D, Betti, R, Fusion Science Center for Extreme States of Matter and Fast Ignition Physics, University of Rochester, 250 East River Road, Rochester, New York 14623, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14627, & Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14627. Seeding magnetic fields for laser-driven flux compression in high-energy-density plasmas. United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3115983
Gotchev, O V, Fusion Science Center for Extreme States of Matter and Fast Ignition Physics, University of Rochester, 250 East River Road, Rochester, New York 14623, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14627, Knauer, J P, Shoup, III, M J, Chang, P Y, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14627, Jang, N W, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14627, Meyerhofer, D D, Betti, R, Fusion Science Center for Extreme States of Matter and Fast Ignition Physics, University of Rochester, 250 East River Road, Rochester, New York 14623, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14627, and Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14627. 2009. "Seeding magnetic fields for laser-driven flux compression in high-energy-density plasmas". United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3115983.
@article{osti_22053468,
title = {Seeding magnetic fields for laser-driven flux compression in high-energy-density plasmas},
author = {Gotchev, O V and Fusion Science Center for Extreme States of Matter and Fast Ignition Physics, University of Rochester, 250 East River Road, Rochester, New York 14623 and Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14627 and Knauer, J P and Shoup, III, M J and Chang, P Y and Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14627 and Jang, N W and Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14627 and Meyerhofer, D D and Betti, R and Fusion Science Center for Extreme States of Matter and Fast Ignition Physics, University of Rochester, 250 East River Road, Rochester, New York 14623 and Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14627 and Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14627},
abstractNote = {A compact, self-contained magnetic-seed-field generator (5 to 16 T) is the enabling technology for a novel laser-driven flux-compression scheme in laser-driven targets. A magnetized target is directly irradiated by a kilojoule or megajoule laser to compress the preseeded magnetic field to thousands of teslas. A fast (300 ns), 80 kA current pulse delivered by a portable pulsed-power system is discharged into a low-mass coil that surrounds the laser target. A >15 T target field has been demonstrated using a <100 J capacitor bank, a laser-triggered switch, and a low-impedance (<1 {Omega}) strip line. The device has been integrated into a series of magnetic-flux-compression experiments on the 60 beam, 30 kJ OMEGA laser [T. R. Boehly et al., Opt. Commun. 133, 495 (1997)]. The initial application is a novel magneto-inertial fusion approach [O. V. Gotchev et al., J. Fusion Energy 27, 25 (2008)] to inertial confinement fusion (ICF), where the amplified magnetic field can inhibit thermal conduction losses from the hot spot of a compressed target. This can lead to the ignition of massive shells imploded with low velocity--a way of reaching higher gains than is possible with conventional ICF.},
doi = {10.1063/1.3115983},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/22053468}, journal = {Review of Scientific Instruments},
issn = {0034-6748},
number = 4,
volume = 80,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed Apr 15 00:00:00 EDT 2009},
month = {Wed Apr 15 00:00:00 EDT 2009}
}