Optimization of a high-yield, low-areal-density fusion product source at the National Ignition Facility with applications in nucleosynthesis experiments
Year: 2018
Type: article
Abstract: Polar-direct-drive exploding pushers are used as a high-yield, low-areal-density fusion product source at the National Ignition Facility with applications including diagnostic calibration, nuclear security, backlighting, electron-ion equilibration, and nucleosynthesis-relevant experiments. In this paper, two different paths to improving the performance of this platform are explored: (i) optimizing the laser drive, and (ii) optimizing the target. While the present study is specifically geared towards nucleosynthesis experiments, the results are generally applicable. Example data from T2/3He-gas-filled implosions with trace deuterium are used to show that yield and ion temperature (Tion) from 1.6 mm-outer-diameter thin-glass-shell capsule implosions are improved at a set laser energy by switching from a ramped to a square laser pulse shape, and that increased laser energy further improves yield and Tion, although by factors lower than predicted by 1 D simulations. Using data from D2/3He-gas-filled implosions, yield at a set Tion is experimentally verified to increase with capsule size. Uniform D3He-proton spectra from 3 mm-outer-diameter CH shell implosions demonstrate the utility of this platform for studying charged-particle-producing reactions relevant to stellar nucleosynthesis.
Source: Physics of Plasmas
DOI: 10.1063/1.5017746
Authors: M. Gatu Johnson, D. T. Casey, M. Hohenberger, A. B. Zylstra, A. Bacher, C. R. Brune, R. M. Bionta, R. S. Craxton, C. L. Ellison, M. Farrell, J. A. Frenje, W. Garbett, E. M. Garcia, G. P. Grim, E. Hartouni, R. Hatarik, H. W. Herrmann, M. Hohensee, D. M. Holunga, M. Hoppe, M. Jackson, N. Kabadi, S. F. Khan, J. D. Kilkenny, T. R. Kohut, B. Lahmann, H. P. Le, C. K. Li, L. Masse, P. W. McKenty, D. P. McNabb, A. Nikroo, T. G. Parham, C. E. Parker, R. D. Petrasso, J. Pino, B. Remington, N. G. Rice, H. G. Rinderknecht, M. J. Rosenberg, J. Sanchez, D. B. Sayre, M. E. Schoff, C. M. Shuldberg, F. H. Séguin, H. Sio, Z. B. Walters, H. D. Whitley
Institutions: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Los Alamos National Laboratory, AWE Nuclear Security Technologies, Ohio University, Indiana University Bloomington, Laboratory for Laser Energetics, University of Rochester, Indiana University, General Atomics (United States), Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Language: English
Subfield: Nuclear and High Energy Physics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
Awards: STUDIES OF FIELDS, MATTER, TRANSPORT, NUCLEAR PHYSICS, AND ICF WITH NEW DIAGNOSTICS AT THE NIF AND OMEGA/OMEGA - EOP, STUDIES OF NUCLEAR ASTROPHYSICS, STRUCTURE, AND REACTIONS WITH NEUTRONS, RADIOACTIVE BEAMS, AND OTHER PROBES, G554747218, STUDYING HYDRODYNAMICS, KINETIC/MULTI-ION EFFECTS, AND CHARGED-PARTICLE STOPPING IN HED PLASMAS AND ICF IMPLOSIONS AT OMEGA, OMEGA-EP AND AT THE NIF, STUDIES IN LOW ENERGY NUCLEAR SCIENCE
OpenAlex ID: W2794190854