The neutron imaging diagnostic at NIF (invited)

Journal Article · Mon Oct 15 00:00:00 EDT 2012 · Review of Scientific Instruments

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4739242· OSTI ID:22093813

Merrill, F. E.; Clark, D. D.; Danly, C. R.; Drury, O. B.; Fatherley, V. E.; Gallegos, R.; Grim, G. P.; Guler, N.; Loomis, E. N.; Martinson, D. D.; Mares, D.; Morley, D. J.; Morgan, G. L.; Oertel, J. A.; Tregillis, I. L.; Volegov, P. L.; Wilde, C. H.; Wilson, D. C. ^[1]; Bower, D.; Dzenitis, J. M. ^[2] ; others, and

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1. Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87544 (United States)
2. Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California 94550 (United States)

A neutron imaging diagnostic has recently been commissioned at the National Ignition Facility (NIF). This new system is an important diagnostic tool for inertial fusion studies at the NIF for measuring the size and shape of the burning DT plasma during the ignition stage of Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) implosions. The imaging technique utilizes a pinhole neutron aperture, placed between the neutron source and a neutron detector. The detection system measures the two dimensional distribution of neutrons passing through the pinhole. This diagnostic has been designed to collect two images at two times. The long flight path for this diagnostic, 28 m, results in a chromatic separation of the neutrons, allowing the independently timed images to measure the source distribution for two neutron energies. Typically the first image measures the distribution of the 14 MeV neutrons and the second image of the 6-12 MeV neutrons. The combination of these two images has provided data on the size and shape of the burning plasma within the compressed capsule, as well as a measure of the quantity and spatial distribution of the cold fuel surrounding this core.

• OSTI ID: 22093813
• Journal Information: Review of Scientific Instruments, Vol. 83, Issue 10; Other Information: (c) 2012 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0034-6748
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
APERTURES
CAPSULES
EXPLOSIONS
ICF DEVICES
IGNITION
IMAGES
INERTIAL CONFINEMENT
INERTIAL FUSION DRIVERS
MEV RANGE 10-100
NEUTRON DETECTORS
NEUTRON SOURCES
PLASMA DIAGNOSTICS
SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION
THERMONUCLEAR IGNITION
US NATIONAL IGNITION FACILITY