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Title: Demonstration of thermonuclear conditions in magnetized liner inertial fusion experiments

Abstract

In this study, the magnetized liner inertial fusion concept [S. A. Slutz et al., Phys. Plasmas17, 056303 (2010)] utilizes a magnetic field and laser heating to relax the pressure requirements of inertial confinement fusion. The first experiments to test the concept [M. R. Gomez et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 113, 155003 (2014)] were conducted utilizing the 19 MA, 100 ns Z machine, the 2.5 kJ, 1 TW Z Beamlet laser, and the 10 T Applied B-field on Z system. Despite an estimated implosion velocity of only 70 km/s in these experiments, electron and ion temperatures at stagnation were as high as 3 keV, and thermonuclear deuterium-deuterium neutron yields up to 2 × 1012 have been produced. X-ray emission from the fuel at stagnation had widths ranging from 50 to 110 μm over a roughly 80% of the axial extent of the target (6–8 mm) and lasted approximately 2 ns. X-ray yields from these experiments are consistent with a stagnation density of the hot fuel equal to 0.2–0.4 g/cm3. In these experiments, up to 5 ×1010 secondary deuterium-tritium neutrons were produced. Given that the areal density of the plasma was approximately 1–2 mg/cm2, this indicates the stagnation plasma was significantly magnetized,more » which is consistent with the anisotropy observed in the deuterium-tritium neutron spectra. Control experiments where the laser and/or magnetic field were not utilized failed to produce stagnation temperatures greater than 1 keV and primary deuterium-deuterium yields greater than 1010. An additional control experiment where the fuel contained a sufficient dopant fraction to substantially increase radiative losses also failed to produce a relevant stagnation temperature. The results of these experiments are consistent with a thermonuclear neutron source.« less

Authors:
 [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [2] more »; ;  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [3];  [1];  [1] « less
+ Show Author Affiliations
  1. Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
  2. Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
  3. General Atomics, San Diego, CA (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
OSTI Identifier:
1235344
Report Number(s):
SAND-2015-0939J
Journal ID: ISSN 1070-664X; PHPAEN; 566912
Grant/Contract Number:  
AC04-94AL85000
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Physics of Plasmas
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 22; Journal Issue: 5; 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; neutrons; laser heating; magnetic fields; quantum dots; plasma temperature

Citation Formats

Gomez, Matthew R., Slutz, Stephen A., Sefkow, Adam B., Hahn, Kelly D., Hansen, Stephanie B., Knapp, Patrick F., Schmit, Paul F., Ruiz, Carlos L., Sinars, Daniel Brian, Harding, Eric C., Jennings, Christopher A., Awe, Thomas James, Geissel, Matthias, Rovang, Dean C., Smith, Ian C., Chandler, Gordon A., Cooper, Gary Wayne, Cuneo, Michael Edward, Harvey-Thompson, Adam James, Herrmann, Mark C., Mark Harry Hess, Lamppa, Derek C., Martin, Matthew R., McBride, Ryan D., Peterson, Kyle J., Porter, John L., Rochau, Gregory A., Savage, Mark E., Schroen, Diana G., Stygar, William A., and Vesey, Roger Alan. Demonstration of thermonuclear conditions in magnetized liner inertial fusion experiments. United States: N. p., 2015. Web. doi:10.1063/1.4919394.
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Gomez, Matthew R., Slutz, Stephen A., Sefkow, Adam B., Hahn, Kelly D., Hansen, Stephanie B., Knapp, Patrick F., Schmit, Paul F., Ruiz, Carlos L., Sinars, Daniel Brian, Harding, Eric C., Jennings, Christopher A., Awe, Thomas James, Geissel, Matthias, Rovang, Dean C., Smith, Ian C., Chandler, Gordon A., Cooper, Gary Wayne, Cuneo, Michael Edward, Harvey-Thompson, Adam James, Herrmann, Mark C., Mark Harry Hess, Lamppa, Derek C., Martin, Matthew R., McBride, Ryan D., Peterson, Kyle J., Porter, John L., Rochau, Gregory A., Savage, Mark E., Schroen, Diana G., Stygar, William A., & Vesey, Roger Alan. Demonstration of thermonuclear conditions in magnetized liner inertial fusion experiments. United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4919394
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Gomez, Matthew R., Slutz, Stephen A., Sefkow, Adam B., Hahn, Kelly D., Hansen, Stephanie B., Knapp, Patrick F., Schmit, Paul F., Ruiz, Carlos L., Sinars, Daniel Brian, Harding, Eric C., Jennings, Christopher A., Awe, Thomas James, Geissel, Matthias, Rovang, Dean C., Smith, Ian C., Chandler, Gordon A., Cooper, Gary Wayne, Cuneo, Michael Edward, Harvey-Thompson, Adam James, Herrmann, Mark C., Mark Harry Hess, Lamppa, Derek C., Martin, Matthew R., McBride, Ryan D., Peterson, Kyle J., Porter, John L., Rochau, Gregory A., Savage, Mark E., Schroen, Diana G., Stygar, William A., and Vesey, Roger Alan. Wed . "Demonstration of thermonuclear conditions in magnetized liner inertial fusion experiments". United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4919394. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1235344.
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@article{osti_1235344,
title = {Demonstration of thermonuclear conditions in magnetized liner inertial fusion experiments},
author = {Gomez, Matthew R. and Slutz, Stephen A. and Sefkow, Adam B. and Hahn, Kelly D. and Hansen, Stephanie B. and Knapp, Patrick F. and Schmit, Paul F. and Ruiz, Carlos L. and Sinars, Daniel Brian and Harding, Eric C. and Jennings, Christopher A. and Awe, Thomas James and Geissel, Matthias and Rovang, Dean C. and Smith, Ian C. and Chandler, Gordon A. and Cooper, Gary Wayne and Cuneo, Michael Edward and Harvey-Thompson, Adam James and Herrmann, Mark C. and Mark Harry Hess and Lamppa, Derek C. and Martin, Matthew R. and McBride, Ryan D. and Peterson, Kyle J. and Porter, John L. and Rochau, Gregory A. and Savage, Mark E. and Schroen, Diana G. and Stygar, William A. and Vesey, Roger Alan},
abstractNote = {In this study, the magnetized liner inertial fusion concept [S. A. Slutz et al., Phys. Plasmas17, 056303 (2010)] utilizes a magnetic field and laser heating to relax the pressure requirements of inertial confinement fusion. The first experiments to test the concept [M. R. Gomez et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 113, 155003 (2014)] were conducted utilizing the 19 MA, 100 ns Z machine, the 2.5 kJ, 1 TW Z Beamlet laser, and the 10 T Applied B-field on Z system. Despite an estimated implosion velocity of only 70 km/s in these experiments, electron and ion temperatures at stagnation were as high as 3 keV, and thermonuclear deuterium-deuterium neutron yields up to 2 × 1012 have been produced. X-ray emission from the fuel at stagnation had widths ranging from 50 to 110 μm over a roughly 80% of the axial extent of the target (6–8 mm) and lasted approximately 2 ns. X-ray yields from these experiments are consistent with a stagnation density of the hot fuel equal to 0.2–0.4 g/cm3. In these experiments, up to 5 ×1010 secondary deuterium-tritium neutrons were produced. Given that the areal density of the plasma was approximately 1–2 mg/cm2, this indicates the stagnation plasma was significantly magnetized, which is consistent with the anisotropy observed in the deuterium-tritium neutron spectra. Control experiments where the laser and/or magnetic field were not utilized failed to produce stagnation temperatures greater than 1 keV and primary deuterium-deuterium yields greater than 1010. An additional control experiment where the fuel contained a sufficient dopant fraction to substantially increase radiative losses also failed to produce a relevant stagnation temperature. The results of these experiments are consistent with a thermonuclear neutron source.},
doi = {10.1063/1.4919394},
journal = {Physics of Plasmas},
number = 5,
volume = 22,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed Apr 29 00:00:00 EDT 2015},
month = {Wed Apr 29 00:00:00 EDT 2015}
}
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https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4919394
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