Diagnosing magnetized liner inertial fusion experiments on Z

• Published in: Physics of plasmas 2015-05, Vol.22 (5)
• Main Authors: Hansen, Stephanie B., Gomez, Matthew R., Sefkow, Adam B., Slutz, Stephen A., Sinars, Daniel Brian, Hahn, Kelly, Harding, Eric, Knapp, Patrick, Schmit, Paul, Awe, Thomas James, McBride, Ryan D., Jennings, Christopher, Geissel, Matthias, Harvey-Thompson, Adam James, Peterson, K. J., Rovang, Dean C., Chandler, Gordon A., Cooper, Gary Wayne, Cuneo, Michael Edward, Herrmann, Mark C., Mark Harry Hess, Johns, Owen, Lamppa, Derek C., Martin, Matthew, Porter, J. L., Robertson, G. K., Rochau, G. A., Ruiz, C. L., Savage, M. E., Smith, I. C., Stygar, W. A., Vesey, R. A., Blue, B. E., Ryutov, D., Schroen, Diana, Tomlinson, K.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY; neutrons; plasma temperature; spatial analysis; X-ray imaging; X-ray plasma diagnostics
• ISSN: 1070-664X; 1089-7674
• DOI: 10.1063/1.4921217

The Magnetized Liner Inertial Fusion experiments performed at Sandia's Z facility have demonstrated significant thermonuclear fusion neutron yields (~1012 DD neutrons) from multi-keV deuterium plasmasinertially confined by slow (~10 cm/μs), stable, cylindrical implosions. Moreover, effective magnetic confinement of charged fusion reactants and products is signaled by high secondary DT neutron yields above 1010. Further analysis of extensive power, imaging, and spectroscopicx-ray measurements provides a detailed picture of ~3 keV temperatures, 0.3 g/cm3 densities, gradients, and mix in the fuel and liner over the 1–2 ns stagnation duration.