Progress toward hydro-equivalent ignition in OMEGA direct-drive DT-layered implosions

Ceurvorst, L.; Betti, R.; Gopalaswamy, V.; Lees, A.; Knauer, J. P.; Rosenberg, M. J.; Patel, D.; Ejaz, R.; Williams, C. A.; Woo, K. M.; Farmakis, P. S.; Cao, D.; Thomas, C. A.; Igumenshchev, I. V.; Anderson, K. S.; Collins, T. J. B.; Epstein, R.; Solodov, A. A.; Forrest, C. J.; Stoeckl, C.; Shah, R. C.; Glebov, V. Yu.; McClow, H.; Goncharov, V. N.; Follett, R. K.; Turnbull, D.; Churnetski, K.; Froula, D. H.; Regan, S. P.; Janezic, R. T.; Fella, C.; Koch, M. W.; Shmayda, W. T.; Bonino, M. J.; Harding, D. R.; Sampat, S.; Bauer, K. A.; Morse, S. B.; Johnson, M. Gatu; Wink, C.; Petrasso, R. D.; Li, C. K.; Fenje, J. A.; Shuldberg, C.; Murray, J.; Guzman, D.; Serrato, B.; Farrell, M.

doi:10.1063/5.0238716

Title: Progress toward hydro-equivalent ignition in OMEGA direct-drive DT-layered implosions

Journal Article · 23 March 2025 · Physics of Plasmas

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0238716 · OSTI ID:2537959

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University of Rochester, NY (United States)
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States)
General Atomics, San Diego, CA (United States)

Considerable progress has been made in deuterium-tritium-layered implosion experiments on the OMEGA Laser System, bringing the prospects for thermonuclear ignition in direct-drive configurations with megajoule-class lasers closer to reality. Doing so has required navigating the balance between improved 1D performance and multidimensional stability. Using statistical modeling based on over 350 cryogenic implosions to identify various degradation mechanisms, and combined with multidimensional simulations and experimental techniques such as target offsets to combat residual flows, core conditions have repeatably been achieved that extrapolate to the burning-plasma state when scaled to 2.15 MJ of symmetric laser illumination. Using high implosion velocities (⁠> 450 km/s) and moderately high adiabats (⁠~5⁠), these experiments produced record-high scaled Lawson parameters in direct drive equal to 89 ± 2% of that required for ignition with expected yields of up to 1.5 ± 0.2 MJ. To improve these results still further, focused physics studies are performed to improve physics understanding and identify routes to even greater performance. Recent studies include investigations into the impact of mounting features, laser imprint, reduced fuel temperatures, and greater on-target intensities through subscale experiments. This manuscript gives a summary of the cryogenic direct-drive program on the OMEGA laser, including routes taken to achieve the current best performance, the status of recent focused physics investigations, and future designs—such as target solutions to laser imprint and reducing vapor density to increase convergence—that are expected lead to the demonstration of hydro-equivalent ignition on OMEGA.

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Research Organization:: University of Rochester, NY (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE; USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA); USDOE Office of Science (SC), Fusion Energy Sciences (FES)

Grant/Contract Number:: 89233119CNA000063; NA0003868; NA0004144; SC0022132

OSTI ID:: 2537959

Journal Information:: Physics of Plasmas, Journal Name: Physics of Plasmas Journal Issue: 3 Vol. 32; ISSN 1070-664X

Publisher:: American Institute of Physics (AIP)Copyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Title: Progress toward hydro-equivalent ignition in OMEGA direct-drive DT-layered implosions

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