Inertial confinement fusion: Status and future prospects

Journal Article · Tue Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1992 · Bulletin of the American Physical Society

OSTI ID:127837

Storm, E K ^[1]

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1. Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (United States)

The objective of the U.S. Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) program is the achievement of a significant fusion yield in the laboratory for the purposes of defense and civilian energy applications. Nova experiments continue to address the target physics issues of radiatively driven targets, such as laser-plasma interaction physics, the efficiency of laser light conversion to x-rays, hohlraum characterization and design, hydrodynamic stability, and implosion physics. For example, using temporally profiled laser pulses (having increasing energy versus time) has led to higher capsule volume compression as compared to similar experiments with unshaped (square) pulse laser energy. In these experiments, the fuel pellet performance essentially matched one-dimensional computer predictions of implosion values when degradation due to present laser beam asymmetry was included. Recent experiments on Nova have also demonstrated 1.3 times higher hohlraum temperature than previously predicted. These combined results, together with those from specific experiments to study the effects of the interaction of the high power laser light with the target plasma, indicate that the capsule drive and symmetry conditions required for ignition and net gain can be achieved with a properly designed, 1 to 2 MJ upgrade of the existing Nova facility at LLNL. The 1990 final reports of both the National Academy of Sciences and the Fusion Policy Advisory Committee have recommended that {open_quotes}the expeditious demonstration of ignition and gain should be the highest priority of the ICF program.{close_quotes}

• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 127837
• Report Number(s): CONF-920376--
• Journal Information: Bulletin of the American Physical Society, Journal Name: Bulletin of the American Physical Society Journal Issue: 9 Vol. 37; ISSN BAPSA6; ISSN 0003-0503
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
DIRECT DRIVE LASER IMPLOSION
ICF DEVICES
INDIRECT DRIVE LASER IMPLOSION
INERTIAL CONFINEMENT
LASER TARGETS
NOVA FACILITY
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT