skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Imaging of High-Energy X-Ray Emission from Cryogenic Thermonuclear Fuel Implosions on the NIF

Abstract

Accurately assessing and optimizing the implosion performance of inertial confinement fusion capsules is a crucial step to achieving ignition on the NIF. We have applied differential filtering (matched Ross filter pairs) to provide spectrally resolved time-integrated absolute x-ray self-emission images of the imploded core of cryogenic layered targets. Using bremsstrahlung assumptions, the measured absolute x-ray brightness allows for the inference of electron temperature, electron density, hot spot mass, mix mass, and pressure. Current inertial confinement fusion (ICF) experiments conducted on the National Ignition Facility (NIF) seek to indirectly drive a spherical implosion, compressing and igniting a deuterium-tritium fuel. This DT fuel capsule is cryogenically prepared as a solid ice layer surrounded by a low-Z ablator material. Ignition will occur when the hot spot approaches sufficient temperature ({approx}3-4 keV) and {rho}R ({approx}0.3 g/cm{sup 2}) such that alpha deposition can further heat the hot spot and generate a self-sustaining burn wave. During the implosion, the fuel mass becomes hot enough to emit large amounts of x-ray radiation, the spectra and spatial variation of which contains key information that can be used to evaluate the implosion performance. The Ross filter diagnostic employs differential filtering to provide spectrally resolved, time-integrated, absolute x-ray self-emission imagesmore » of the imploded core of cryogenic layered targets.« less

Authors:
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
1043646
Report Number(s):
LLNL-CONF-555311
Journal ID: ISSN 0034-6748; TRN: US1203167
DOE Contract Number:  
W-7405-ENG-48
Resource Type:
Conference
Resource Relation:
Journal Volume: 83; Journal Issue: 10; Conference: Presented at: High-Temperature Plasma Diagnostics Conference, Monterey, CA, United States, May 06 - May 10, 2012
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY; 42 ENGINEERING; BREMSSTRAHLUNG; BRIGHTNESS; CRYOGENICS; DEPOSITION; ELECTRON DENSITY; ELECTRON TEMPERATURE; HOT SPOTS; IGNITION; IMPLOSIONS; INERTIAL CONFINEMENT; PERFORMANCE; PLASMA DIAGNOSTICS; SPECTRA; TARGETS; THERMONUCLEAR FUELS; US NATIONAL IGNITION FACILITY

Citation Formats

Ma, T. Imaging of High-Energy X-Ray Emission from Cryogenic Thermonuclear Fuel Implosions on the NIF. United States: N. p., 2012. Web. doi:10.1063/1.4733313.
Ma, T. Imaging of High-Energy X-Ray Emission from Cryogenic Thermonuclear Fuel Implosions on the NIF. United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4733313
Ma, T. 2012. "Imaging of High-Energy X-Ray Emission from Cryogenic Thermonuclear Fuel Implosions on the NIF". United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4733313. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1043646.
@article{osti_1043646,
title = {Imaging of High-Energy X-Ray Emission from Cryogenic Thermonuclear Fuel Implosions on the NIF},
author = {Ma, T},
abstractNote = {Accurately assessing and optimizing the implosion performance of inertial confinement fusion capsules is a crucial step to achieving ignition on the NIF. We have applied differential filtering (matched Ross filter pairs) to provide spectrally resolved time-integrated absolute x-ray self-emission images of the imploded core of cryogenic layered targets. Using bremsstrahlung assumptions, the measured absolute x-ray brightness allows for the inference of electron temperature, electron density, hot spot mass, mix mass, and pressure. Current inertial confinement fusion (ICF) experiments conducted on the National Ignition Facility (NIF) seek to indirectly drive a spherical implosion, compressing and igniting a deuterium-tritium fuel. This DT fuel capsule is cryogenically prepared as a solid ice layer surrounded by a low-Z ablator material. Ignition will occur when the hot spot approaches sufficient temperature ({approx}3-4 keV) and {rho}R ({approx}0.3 g/cm{sup 2}) such that alpha deposition can further heat the hot spot and generate a self-sustaining burn wave. During the implosion, the fuel mass becomes hot enough to emit large amounts of x-ray radiation, the spectra and spatial variation of which contains key information that can be used to evaluate the implosion performance. The Ross filter diagnostic employs differential filtering to provide spectrally resolved, time-integrated, absolute x-ray self-emission images of the imploded core of cryogenic layered targets.},
doi = {10.1063/1.4733313},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1043646}, journal = {},
issn = {0034-6748},
number = 10,
volume = 83,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue May 01 00:00:00 EDT 2012},
month = {Tue May 01 00:00:00 EDT 2012}
}

Conference:
Other availability
Please see Document Availability for additional information on obtaining the full-text document. Library patrons may search WorldCat to identify libraries that hold this conference proceeding.

Save / Share:

Works referenced in this record:

First implosion experiments with cryogenic thermonuclear fuel on the National Ignition Facility
journal, March 2012


The National Ignition Facility: enabling fusion ignition for the 21st century
journal, November 2004


Laser Compression of Matter to Super-High Densities: Thermonuclear (CTR) Applications
journal, September 1972


The Physics of Inertial Fusion
book, January 2004


High-energy x-ray backlighter spectrum measurements using calibrated image plates
journal, February 2011


Gated x-ray detector for the National Ignition Facility
journal, October 2006


A hardened gated x-ray imaging diagnostic for inertial confinement fusion experiments at the National Ignition Facility
journal, October 2010