Electron beam fusion targets

Conference · Fri Sep 12 04:00:00 EDT 1975

OSTI ID:4194136

Sweeney, M A

Focused relativistic electron beams are receiving considerable attention as a means of imploding spherical targets a few millimeters in diameter to produce substantial thermonuclear yields. A central consideration of such proposals is the design of the targets and, in particular, design calculations which concentrate on reducing breakeven power levels. The behavior of e-beam fusion targets in which a low-Z (iron or carbon) ablator surrounds a high-Z, high- density (gold) pusher is compared to that of single gold shell targets. Both types of DT-filled targets are irradiated by constant-power 1-MeV electron beam pulses. The use of a low-Z ablator decreases the bremsstrahlung heating of the pusher. The resulting colder and denser pusher is more effective. Breakeven requires about 360 TW of power deposited for 8 ns with iron ablators; 220 TW deposited for 12 ns with high-density (3.52 g/cm$sup 3$) carbon ablators. This is less than half the power required for targets composed of a single DT-filled gold shell (800 TW deposited for 5 ns). (auth)

• Research Organization: Sandia Labs., Albuquerque, N.Mex. (USA)
• NSA Number: NSA-33-000337
• OSTI ID: 4194136
• Report Number(s): SAND--75-5691; CONF-750943--1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

*PLASMA PRODUCTION-- ELECTRON BEAMS
700208* --Fusion Energy--Fusion Power Plant Technology-- Inertial Confinement Technology
COMPRESSION
N70800* --Physics--Controlled Thermonuclear Research-- Thermonuclear Engineering & Equipment
RELATIVISTIC BEAM INJECTION
SPHERICAL CONFIGURATION
TARGETS
THERMONUCLEAR REACTIONS