Direct-drive–ignition designs with mid-Z ablators
Abstract
Achieving thermonuclear ignition using direct laser illumination relies on the capability to accelerate spherical shells to high implosion velocities while maintaining shell integrity. Ablator materials of moderate atomic number Z reduce the detrimental effects of laser–plasma instabilities in direct-drive implosions. To validate the physics of moderate-Z ablator materials for ignition target designs on the National Ignition Facility (NIF), hydro-equivalent targets are designed using pure plastic (CH), high-density carbon, and glass (SiO2) ablators. The hydrodynamic stability of these targets is investigated through two-dimensional (2D) single-mode and multimode simulations. The overall stability of these targets to laser-imprint perturbations and low-mode asymmetries makes it possible to design high-gain targets. Designs using polar-drive illumination are developed within the NIF laser system specifications. Mid-Z ablator targets are an attractive candidate for direct-drive ignition since they present better overall performance than plastic ablator targets through reduced laser–plasma instabilities and a similar hydrodynamic stability.
- Authors:
-
- Univ. of Rochester, NY (United States). Lab. for Laser Energetics and Fusion Science Center
- Univ. of Rochester, NY (United States). Lab. for Laser Energetics
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Univ. of Rochester, NY (United States). Lab. for Laser Energetics
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1178086
- Alternate Identifier(s):
- OSTI ID: 1228561
- Grant/Contract Number:
- NA0001944; FC02-04ER54789; FC52-08NA28302
- Resource Type:
- Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Name:
- Physics of Plasmas
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Volume: 22; Journal Issue: 3; Journal ID: ISSN 1070-664X
- Publisher:
- American Institute of Physics (AIP)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
Citation Formats
Lafon, M., Betti, R., Anderson, K. S., Collins, T. J. B., Epstein, R., McKenty, P. W., Myatt, J. F., Shvydky, A., and Skupsky, S. Direct-drive–ignition designs with mid-Z ablators. United States: N. p., 2015.
Web. doi:10.1063/1.4914835.
Lafon, M., Betti, R., Anderson, K. S., Collins, T. J. B., Epstein, R., McKenty, P. W., Myatt, J. F., Shvydky, A., & Skupsky, S. Direct-drive–ignition designs with mid-Z ablators. United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4914835
Lafon, M., Betti, R., Anderson, K. S., Collins, T. J. B., Epstein, R., McKenty, P. W., Myatt, J. F., Shvydky, A., and Skupsky, S. Sun .
"Direct-drive–ignition designs with mid-Z ablators". United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4914835. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1178086.
@article{osti_1178086,
title = {Direct-drive–ignition designs with mid-Z ablators},
author = {Lafon, M. and Betti, R. and Anderson, K. S. and Collins, T. J. B. and Epstein, R. and McKenty, P. W. and Myatt, J. F. and Shvydky, A. and Skupsky, S.},
abstractNote = {Achieving thermonuclear ignition using direct laser illumination relies on the capability to accelerate spherical shells to high implosion velocities while maintaining shell integrity. Ablator materials of moderate atomic number Z reduce the detrimental effects of laser–plasma instabilities in direct-drive implosions. To validate the physics of moderate-Z ablator materials for ignition target designs on the National Ignition Facility (NIF), hydro-equivalent targets are designed using pure plastic (CH), high-density carbon, and glass (SiO2) ablators. The hydrodynamic stability of these targets is investigated through two-dimensional (2D) single-mode and multimode simulations. The overall stability of these targets to laser-imprint perturbations and low-mode asymmetries makes it possible to design high-gain targets. Designs using polar-drive illumination are developed within the NIF laser system specifications. Mid-Z ablator targets are an attractive candidate for direct-drive ignition since they present better overall performance than plastic ablator targets through reduced laser–plasma instabilities and a similar hydrodynamic stability.},
doi = {10.1063/1.4914835},
journal = {Physics of Plasmas},
number = 3,
volume = 22,
place = {United States},
year = {Sun Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 2015},
month = {Sun Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 2015}
}
Web of Science
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