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Title: Fast ignition integrated experiments and high-gain point design

Journal Article · · Nuclear Fusion
 [1];  [1];  [2];  [2];  [3]
  1. Osaka Univ., Osaka (Japan)
  2. Univ. of Rochester, Rochester, NY (United States)
  3. Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

Here, integrated fast ignition experiments were performed at ILE, Osaka, and LLE, Rochester, in which a nanosecond driver laser implodes a deuterated plastic shell in front of the tip of a hollow metal cone and an intense ultrashort-pulse laser is injected through the cone to heat the compressed plasma. Based on the initial successful results of fast electron heating of cone-in-shell targets, large-energy short-pulse laser beam lines were constructed and became operational: OMEGA-EP at Rochester and LFEX at Osaka. Neutron enhancement due to heating with a ~kJ short-pulse laser has been demonstrated in the integrated experiments at Osaka and Rochester. The neutron yields are being analyzed by comparing the experimental results with simulations. Details of the fast electron beam transport and the electron energy deposition in the imploded fuel plasma are complicated and further studies are imperative. The hydrodynamics of the implosion was studied including the interaction of the imploded core plasma with the cone tip. Theory and simulation studies are presented on the hydrodynamics of a high-gain target for a fast ignition point design.

Research Organization:
Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
DOE Contract Number:
AC52-07NA27344
OSTI ID:
1226195
Report Number(s):
LLNL-JRNL-630232
Journal Information:
Nuclear Fusion, Vol. 54, Issue 5; ISSN 0029-5515
Publisher:
IOP Science
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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