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Optimization of a high-yield, low-areal-density fusion product source at the National Ignition Facility with applications in nucleosynthesis experiments

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 p...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Physics of plasmas 2018-05, Vol.25 (5)
Main Authors: Gatu Johnson, M., Casey, D. T., Hohenberger, M., Zylstra, A. B., Bacher, A., Brune, C. R., Bionta, R. M., Craxton, R. S., Ellison, C. L., Farrell, M., Frenje, J. A., Garbett, W., Garcia, E. M., Grim, G. P., Hartouni, E., Hatarik, R., Herrmann, H. W., Hohensee, M., Holunga, D. M., Hoppe, M., Jackson, M., Kabadi, N., Khan, S. F., Kilkenny, J. D., Kohut, T. R., Lahmann, B., Le, H. P., Li, C. K., Masse, L., McKenty, P. W., McNabb, D. P., Nikroo, A., Parham, T. G., Parker, C. E., Petrasso, R. D., Pino, J., Remington, B., Rice, N. G., Rinderknecht, H. G., Rosenberg, M. J., Sanchez, J., Sayre, D. B., Schoff, M. E., Shuldberg, C. M., Séguin, F. H., Sio, H., Walters, Z. B., Whitley, H. D.
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Language:English
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Summary: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.
ISSN:1070-664X
1089-7674
DOI:10.1063/1.5017746