Laser fusion and laser plasma interaction experiments with DT filled glass microshell targets

Conference · Wed Mar 17 04:00:00 EST 1976

OSTI ID:7247500

Storm, E K; Ahlstrom, H G; Manes, K R; Brooks, K M

This paper discusses a series of laser fusion microimplosions and laser plasma interaction experiments performed with the Lawrence Livermore Laboratory's two beam 1.06 ..mu.. Nd:glass laser systems. Energies of 40 J in 80 psec (FWHM) have been focused on laser fusion targets producing intensities in excess of 10/sup 15/ W/cm/sup 2/. The targets were deuterium tritium (DT) filled thin walled (0.4 to 0.8 ..mu..) glass microshells of 40 to 100 ..mu.. diameter. These targets operated in what is commonly called the exploding pusher mode. The electron thermal wave propagates supersonically through the glass shell surrounding the DT gas which explodes and consequently also implodes and compresses and heats the DT gas to thermonuclear conditions. Although the final states of microimplosion approaches an adiabatic compression, the process as a whole is severely nonisentropic. This is in contrast to the high density nearly isentropic implosion target designs of future experiments. With present laser outputs in the 100 J, 100 psec range, the exploding pusher target offers the possibility of doing the low yield laser driven thermonuclear implosion experiments. In addition, it provides a simple experimental condition to serve as a testbed for computer simulation code development, experimental confirmation (or not) of theoretical predictions in high power laser plasma interaction physics and diagnostic equipment development.

• Research Organization: California Univ., Livermore (USA). Lawrence Livermore Lab.
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 7247500
• Report Number(s): UCRL-77957; CONF-761012-23
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
700208* -- Fusion Power Plant Technology-- Inertial Confinement Technology
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
DEUTERIUM
DOCUMENT TYPES
FUELS
HYDROGEN ISOTOPES
IMPLOSIONS
ISOTOPES
LASER IMPLOSIONS
LASERS
LIGHT NUCLEI
MICROSPHERES
NEODYMIUM LASERS
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
ODD-ODD NUCLEI
RADIOISOTOPES
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
REVIEWS
SOLID STATE LASERS
STABLE ISOTOPES
THERMONUCLEAR FUELS
TRITIUM
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES