Outer shell symmetry for double shell capsules with aluminum ablators

• Published in: Physics of plasmas 2024-06, Vol.31 (6)
• Main Authors: Sacks, Ryan, Keiter, Paul, Merritt, Elizabeth, Loomis, Eric, Montgomery, David, Sauppe, Joshua, Haines, Brian, Stark, David, Sagert, Irina, Robey, Harry, Palaniyappan, Sasikumar, Morrow, Tana, Finnegan, Sean, Kline, John, Batha, Steve
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY; Ablation; Aluminum; Computer simulation; Fuels; Fusion energy; Implosions; Laser fusion; Lasers; Plasma confinement; Radiation trapping; Symmetry
• ISSN: 1070-664X; 1089-7674
• DOI: 10.1063/5.0176316

Double shell targets are a promising potential avenue to obtain robust neutron yield at current laser facilities. Similar to single shell designs, double shells require the symmetric implosion of an ablator in order to uniformly compress and heat a fuel volume, with the goal of achieving thermonuclear burn. Significant differences between double and single shells include the usage of an aluminum ablator as well as a reverse ramp laser pulse. In addition, double shells require a different convergence than single shells for fuel ignition. Numerical implosion studies at various energies with comparisons to experimental outcomes are required to gain confidence that simulations can capture the ablator shape from subscale to full scale. The current work builds on previous implosion experiments conducted at 1-MJ laser energy to confirm achieved ablator symmetry at 1.25 and 1.5 MJ. Average ablator P2 and P4 shapes measured in these experiments are within 5% of the simulated shape, which merits the platforms for further experimental studies.