Optimization of a high-yield, low-areal-density fusion product source at the National Ignition Facility with applications in nucleosynthesis experiments

Dataset · Wed Oct 03 00:00:00 EDT 2018

DOI:https://doi.org/10.7910/DVN/UTFQQE· OSTI ID:1878749

Johnson, M. Gatu; Casey, D. T.; Hohenberger, M.; Zylstra, A. B.; Bacher, A.; Brune, C. R.; Bionta, R. M.; Craxton, R. S.; Ellison, C. l.; Farrell, M.; Frenje, J. A.; Garbett, W.; Garcia, E. M.; Grim, G. P.; Hartouni, E.; Hatarik, R.; Herrmann, H. W.; Hohensee, M.; Holunga, D. M.; Hoppe, M. ; Jackson, M.; Kabadi, N.; Khan, S. F.; Kilkenny, J. D.; Kohut, T. R.; Lahmann, B.; Le, H. P.; Li, C. K.; Masse, L.; McKenty, P. W.; McNabb, D. P.; Nikroo, A.; Parham, T. G.; Parker, C. E.; Petrasso, R. D.; Pino, J.; Remington, B.; Rice, N. G.; Rinderknecht, H. G.; Rosenberg, M. J.; Sanchez, J.; Sayre, D. B.; Schoff, M. E.; Shuldberg, C. M.; Séguin, F. H.; Sio, H.; Walters, Z. B.; Whitley, H. D.

Polar-direct-drive exploding pushers are used as a high-yield, low-areal-density fusion product source at the National Ignition Facility with applications including diagnostic calibration, nuclear security, backlighting, electron-ion equilibration and nucleosynthesis-relevant experiments. In this paper, two different paths to improving the performance of this platform are explored: (i) optimizing the laser drive, and (ii) optimizing the target. While the present study is specifically geared towards nucleosynthesis experiments, the results are generally applicable. Example data from T[sub 2]/[sup 3]He-gas-filled implosions with trace deuterium are used to show that yield and ion temperature (T[sub ion]) from 1.6mm-outer-diameter thin-glass-shell capsule implosions are improved at a set laser energy by switching from a ramped to a square laser pulse shape, and that increased laser energy further improves yield and Tion, although by factors lower than predicted by 1D simulations. Using data from D[sub 2]/[sup 3]He-gas-filled implosions, yield at a set T[sub ion] is experimentally verified to increase with capsule size. Uniform D[sup 3]He-proton spectra from 3mm-outer-diameter CH shell implosions demonstrate the utility of this platform for studying charged-particle-producing reactions relevant to stellar nucleosynthesis.

• Research Organization: Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States). Plasma Science and Fusion Center; Ohio Univ., Athens, OH (United States); General Atomics, San Diego, CA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA); USDOE Office of Science (SC), Nuclear Physics (NP)
• DOE Contract Number: NA0001857; NA0002949; NA0002905; FG02-88ER40387; NA0001808
• OSTI ID: 1878749
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY