Present understanding of ignition and gain using indirect-drive inertial confinement fusion target designs on the U.S. National Ignition Facility

Hurricane, O. A.; Allen, A.; Bachmann, B. L.; Baker, K. L.; Baxamusa, S.; Bhandarkar, S. D.; Biener, J.; Bionta, S. M.; Braun, T.; Briggs, T.; Brunton, G.; Casey, D. T.; Chapman, T.; Choate, C.; Clark, D. S.; Dewald, E.; DiNicola, J-M; Divol, L.; Do, A.; Fehrenbach, T.; Fittinghoff, D. N.; Gatu Johnson, M.; Geppert Kleinrath, H.; Geppert Kleinrath, V.; Haan, S.; Hilsabeck, T. J.; Hinkel, D. E.; Hohenberger, M.; Humbird, K. D.; Izumi, N.; Kong, C.; Kritcher, A. L.; Landen, O. L.; Lindl, J.; MacGowan, B. J.; Mackinnon, A. J.; Maclaren, S. A.; Marinak, M.; Meeuwsen, R.; Michel, P.; Milovich, J.; Meaney, K.; Millot, M.; Moody, J. D.; Moore, A. S.; Nikroo, A.; Nora, R.; Pak, A.; Ralph, J. E.; Ratledge, M.; Ross, J. S.; Rubery, M. S.; Schlossberg, D. J.; Schmit, P. F.; Sepke, S. M.; Smalyuk, V.; Spears, B. K.; Springer, P. T.; Stadermann, M.; Strozzi, D. J.; Suratwala, T. I.; Tommasini, R.; Town, R. J.; Weber, C. R.; Wild, C.; Van Wonterghem, B.; Woodworth, B.; Wu, J.; Young, C. V.; Zylstra, A. B.

doi:10.1088/1361-6587/ad994f

Title: Present understanding of ignition and gain using indirect-drive inertial confinement fusion target designs on the U.S. National Ignition Facility

Journal Article · 20 December 2024 · Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6587/ad994f · OSTI ID:2497918

^[1]; Allen, A. ^[2];

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^[1]; Braun, T. ^[1]; Briggs, T. ^[1]; Brunton, G. ^[1];

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^[1]; Choate, C. ^[1]; Clark, D. S. ^[1]; Dewald, E. ^[1]; DiNicola, J-M ^[1];

^[1]; Do, A. ^[1]; Fehrenbach, T. ^[3] more »

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
General Atomics, San Diego, CA (United States)
Diamond Materials Gmbh, Freiburg (Germany)
Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States)
Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Pacific Fusion, LLC, Fremont, CA (United States)

For many decades, the running joke in fusion research has been that 'fusion' is thirty years away and always will be. Yet, these past few years we find ourselves in a position where we can now talk about the milestones of burning plasmas, fusion ignition, and target energy gain greater than unity (scientific breakeven) in the past tense. Fusion is no longer a joke! Yet getting to fusion ignition, the tipping-point of thermonuclear instability resulting in an explosive increase in ion thermal temperature and fusion reaction-rate, and scientific breakeven (target gain, $$G_{target} =$$ fusion yield/deposited laser energy >1, in the laser-driven inertial confinement fusion context) has not been easy. Here, in this publication, we discuss our present understanding of the physics and technological challenges surrounding ignition and Gain as well as highlight some outstanding problems that still need resolution.

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Research Organization:: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC52-07NA27344

OSTI ID:: 2497918

Report Number(s):: LLNL--JRNL-869044; 1104894

Journal Information:: Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion, Journal Name: Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 67; ISSN 0741-3335

Publisher:: IOP ScienceCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Title: Present understanding of ignition and gain using indirect-drive inertial confinement fusion target designs on the U.S. National Ignition Facility

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