1. X-ray streaked refraction enhanced radiography for inferring inflight density gradients in ICF capsule implosions

   Dewald, E. L. ; Landen, O. L. ; Masse, L. ; ... October 2018 - Review of Scientific Instruments

   In the quest for reaching ignition of deuterium-tritium (DT) fuel capsule implosions, experiments on the National Ignition Facility (NIF) have shown lower final fuel areal densities than simulated. Possible explanations for reduced compression are higher preheat that can increase the ablator-DT ice density jump and induce mix at that interface or reverberating shocks. We are hence developing x-ray Refraction Enhanced Radiography (RER) to infer the inflight density profiles in layered fuel capsule implosions. We use a 5 μm slit backlit by a Ni 7.8 keV He-α NIF laser driven x-ray source positioned at 20 mm from the capsule to castmore » refracted images of the inflight capsule onto a streak camera in a high magnification (M ~ 60×) setup. Our first experiments have validated our setup that recorded a streaked x-ray fringe pattern from an undriven high density carbon (HDC) capsule consistent with ray tracing calculations at the required ~6 μm and 25 ps resolution. Streaked RER was then applied to inflight layered HDC capsule implosions using a hydrogen-tritium fuel mix rather than DT to reduce neutron yields and associated backgrounds. The first RER of an imploding capsule revealed strong features associated with the ablation front and ice-ablator interface that are not visible in standard absorption radiographs.« less
2. Review of hydro-instability experiments with alternate capsule supports in indirect-drive implosions on the National Ignition Facility

   Smalyuk, V. A. ; Robey, H. F. ; Alday, C. L. ; ... July 2018 - Physics of Plasmas

   Hydrodynamic instability growth of capsule support membranes (or “tents”) has been recognized as one of the major contributors to the performance degradation in high-compression plastic capsule implosions at the National Ignition Facility (NIF). The capsules were supported by tents because the nominal 10-μm diameter fill tubes were not strong enough to support capsules by themselves in indirect-drive implosions on NIF. After it was recognized that the tents had a significant impact of implosion's stability, new alternative support methods were investigated. While some of these methods completely eliminated tent, other concepts still used tents, but concentrated on mitigating their impact. Themore » tent-less methods included “fishing pole” reinforced fill tubes, cantilevered fill tubes, and thin-wire “tetra cage” supports. In the “fishing pole” concept, a 10-μm fill tube was inserted inside 30-μm fill tube for extra support with the connection point located 300 μm away from the capsule surface. The cantilevered fill tubes were supported by 12-μm thick SiC rods, offset by up to 300 μm from the capsule surfaces. In the “tetra-cage” concept, 2.5-μm thick wires (carbon nanotube yarns) were used to support a capsule. Other concepts used “polar tents” and a “foam-shell” to mitigate the effects of the tents. The “polar tents” had significantly reduced contact area between the tents and the capsule compared to the nominal tents. In the “foam-shell” concept, a 200-μm thick, 30 mg/cc SiO ₂ foam layer was used to offset the tents away from the capsule surface in an attempt to mitigate their effects. These concepts were investigated in x-ray radiography experiments and compared with perturbations from standard tent support. The measured perturbations in the “fishing pole,” cantilevered fill tube, and “tetra-cage” concepts compared favorably with (were smaller than) nominal tent perturbations and were recommended for further testing for feasibility in layered DT implosions. The “polar tents” were tested in layered DT implosions with a relatively-stable “high-foot” drive showing an improvement in neutron yield in one experiment compared to companion implosions with nominal tents. Furthermore, this article reviews and summarizes recent experiments on these alternate capsule support concepts. In addition, the concept of magnetic levitation is also discussed.« less
3. Visualizing deceleration-phase instabilities in inertial confinement fusion implosions using an “enhanced self-emission” technique at the National Ignition Facility

   Pickworth, L. A. ; Hammel, B. A. ; Smalyuk, V. A. ; ... May 2018 - Physics of Plasmas

   High-mode perturbations and low-mode asymmetries were measured in the deceleration phase of indirectly-driven, deuterium gas filled inertial confinement fusion (ICF) capsule implosions at convergence ratios of 10 to 15, using a new “enhanced emission” technique at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) [E. M. Campbell, R. Cauble, and B. A. Remington, AIP Conf. Proc. 429, 3 (1998)]. In these experiments, a high spatial resolution Kirkpatrick-Baez microscope was used to image the x-ray emission from the inner surface of a high-density-carbon (HDC) capsule’s shell. Use of a high atomic number dopant in the shell enabled time-resolved observations of shell perturbations penetrating intomore » the hot spot. This allowed the effects of the perturbations and asymmetries on degrading neutron yield to be directly measured. In particular, mix induced radiation losses of ~400 J from the hot spot resulted in a neutron yield reduction of a factor of ~2. In a subsequent experiment with a significantly increased level of short-mode initial perturbations, shown through the enhanced imaging technique to be highly organized radially, the neutron yield dropped an additional factor of ~2.« less

   Cited by 2
4. Calibration and characterization of a highly efficient spectrometer in von Hamos geometry for 7-10 keV x-rays

   Jarrott, L. C. ; Wei, M. S. ; McGuffey, C. ; ... April 2017 - Review of Scientific Instruments

   Here, we have built an absolutely calibrated, highly efficient, Bragg crystal spectrometer in von Hamos geometry. This zinc von Hamos spectrometer uses a crystal made from highly oriented pyrolytic graphite that is cylindrically bent along the non-dispersive axis. It is tuned to measure x-ray spectra in the 7–10 keV range and has been designed to be used on a Ten Inch Manipulator for the Omega and OmegaEP target chambers at the Laboratory for Laser Energetics in Rochester, USA. Significant shielding strategies and fluorescence mitigation have been implemented in addition to an imaging plate detector making it well suited for experimentsmore » in high-intensity environments. Here we present the design and absolute calibration as well as mosaicity and integrated reflectivity measurements.« less

   Cited by 1Full Text Available
5. Initial experimental demonstration of the principles of a xenon gas shield designed to protect optical components from soft x-ray induced opacity (blanking) in high energy density experiments

   Swadling, G. F. ; Ross, J. S. ; Manha, D. ; ... March 2017 - Physics of Plasmas

   The design principles of a xenon gas shield device that is intended to protect optical components from x-ray induced opacity (“x-ray blanking”) have been experimentally demonstrated at the OMEGA-60 Laser Facility at the Laboratory for Laser Energetics, University of Rochester. A volume of xenon gas placed in front of an optical component absorbs the incoming soft x-ray radiation but transmits optical and ultra-violet radiation. The time-resolved optical (532 nm) transmission of samples was recorded as they were exposed to soft x-rays produced by a gold sphere source (1.5 kJ sr ^$-$1, 250–300 eV). Blanking of fused silica (SiO ₂) wasmore » measured to occur over a range of time-integrated soft x-ray (<3 keV) fluence from ~0.2–2.5 J cm ^$-$2. A shield test device consisting of a 30 nm silicon nitride (Si ₃N ₄) and a 10 cm long volume of 0.04 bar xenon gas succeeded in delaying loss of transmission through a magnesium fluoride sample; optical transmission was observed over a longer period than for the unprotected sample. It is hoped that the design of this x-ray shield can be scaled in order to produce a shield device for the National Ignition Facility optical Thomson scattering collection telescope, in order to allow measurements of hohlraum plasma conditions produced in inertial confinement fusion experiments. Finally, if successful, it will also have applications in many other high energy density experiments where optical and ultra-violet measurements are desirable.« less

   Full Text Available
6. Design calculations for a xenon plasma x-ray shield to protect the NIF optical Thomson scattering diagnostic

   Swadling, G. F. ; Ross, J. S. ; Datte, P. ; ... July 2016 - Review of Scientific Instruments

   An Optical Thomson Scattering (OTS) diagnostic is currently being developed for the National Ignition Facility (NIF) at Lawrence Livermore National Labs (LLNL). This diagnostic is designed to make measurements of hohlraum plasma parameters, such as the electron temperature and density, during inertial confinement fusion (ICF) experiments. NIF ICF experiments present a very challenging environment for optical measurements; by their very nature hohlraums produce intense soft x-ray emission, which can cause “blanking” (radiation induced opacity) of the radiation facing optical components. The soft x-ray fluence at the surface of the OTS blast shield, 60 cm from the hohlraum, is estimated tomore » be ~ 8 J cm ^-2. This is then significantly above the expected threshold for the onset of “blanking” effects. A novel Xenon Plasma X-ray Shield (XPXS) has been proposed to protect the blast shield from x-rays and mitigate “blanking”. Finally, these estimates suggest that an areal density of 10 ¹⁹ cm ^-2 Xe atoms will be sufficient to absorb 99.5% the soft x-ray flux. Two potential designs for this shield are presented.« less

   Cited by 2Full Text Available
7. Resolving hot spot microstructure using x-ray penumbral imaging (invited)

   Bachmann, B. ; Hilsabeck, T. ; Field, J. ; ... August 2016 - Review of Scientific Instruments

   Here, we have developed and fielded x-ray penumbral imaging on the National Ignition Facility in order to enable sub-10 μm resolution imaging of stagnated plasma cores (hot spots) of spherically shock compressed spheres and shell implosion targets. By utilizing circular tungsten and tantalum apertures with diameters ranging from 20 μm to 2 mm, in combination with image plate and gated x-ray detectors as well as imaging magnifications ranging from 4 to 64, we have demonstrated high-resolution imaging of hot spot plasmas at x-ray energies above 5 keV. Here we give an overview of the experimental design criteria involved and demonstratemore » the most relevant influences on the reconstruction of x-ray penumbral images, as well as mitigation strategies of image degrading effects like over-exposed pixels, artifacts, and photon limited source emission. We describe experimental results showing the advantages of x-ray penumbral imaging over conventional Fraunhofer and photon limited pinhole imaging and showcase how internal hot spot microstructures can be resolved.« less

   Cited by 6Full Text Available
8. Simultaneous visualization of wall motion, beam propagation, and implosion symmetry on the National Ignition Facility (invited)

   Izumi, N. ; Meezan, N. B. ; Johnson, S. ; ... October 2018 - Review of Scientific Instruments
9. Implementing time resolved electron temperature capability at the NIF using a streak camera

   Khan, S. F. ; Jarrott, L. C. ; Patel, P. K. ; ... October 2018 - Review of Scientific Instruments
10. Experimental results of radiation-driven, layered deuterium-tritium implosions with adiabat-shaped drives at the National Ignition Facility

    Smalyuk, V. A. ; Robey, H. F. ; Döppner, T. ; ... October 2016 - Physics of Plasmas

    Cited by 7Full Text Available

DOE PAGES offers free public access to the best available full-text version of DOE-affiliated accepted manuscripts or articles after an administrative interval of 12 months. The portal and search engine employ a hybrid model of both centralized and distributed content, with PAGES maintaining a permanent archive of all full text and metadata.