Performance and Mix Measurements of Indirect Drive Cu-Doped Be Implosions

Journal Article · Tue May 19 00:00:00 EDT 2015 · Physical Review Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.114.205002· OSTI ID:1183034

Casey, D.  T. ^[1]; Woods, D. T. ^[1]; Smalyuk, V. A. ^[1]; Hurricane, O.  A. ^[1]; Glebov, V.  Y. ^[2]; Stoeckl, C. ^[2]; Theobald, W. ^[2]; Wallace, R. ^[1]; Nikroo, A. ^[3]; Schoff, M. ^[3]; Shuldberg, C. ^[3]; Wu, K. J. ^[1]; Frenje, J.  A. ^[4]; Landen, O.  L. ^[1]; Remington, B.  A. ^[1]; Glendinning, G. ^[1]

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1. Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
2. Univ. of Rochester, NY (United States). Lab. for Laser Energetics
3. General Atomics, San Diego, CA (United States)
4. Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States)

The ablator couples energy between the driver and fusion fuel in inertial confinement fusion (ICF). Because of its low opacity, high solid density, and material properties, beryllium has long been considered an ideal ablator for ICF ignition experiments at the National Ignition Facility. We report here the first indirect drive Be implosions driven with shaped laser pulses and diagnosed with fusion yield at the OMEGA laser. The results show good performance with an average DD neutron yield of ~2 × 10⁹ at a convergence ratio of R₀/R ~ 10 and little impact due to the growth of hydrodynamic instabilities and mix. In addition, the effect of adding an inner liner of W between the Be and DD is demonstrated.

• Research Organization: Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
• DOE Contract Number: NA0001857
• OSTI ID: 1183034
• Journal Information: Physical Review Letters, Vol. 114, Issue 20; ISSN 0031-9007
• Publisher: American Physical Society (APS)
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY