Return To: Session OV3 - Inertial Fusion Overview
Prev Page: (OV3/3) The Heavy Ion Fusion Program in the
Next Page: Session OV4 - Magnetic Fusion Overview 3

(OV3/5) OMEGA ICF Experiments and Preparations for Direct Drive on NIF

R. L. McCrory¹⁾, R. E. Bahr¹⁾, R. Betti¹⁾, T. R. Boehly¹⁾, T. J. B. Collins¹⁾, R. S. Craxton¹⁾, J. A. Delettrez¹⁾, W. R. Donaldson¹⁾, R. Epstein¹⁾, J. Frenje²⁾, V. Yu. Glebov¹⁾, V. N. Goncharov¹⁾, O. V. Gotchev¹⁾, R. Q. Gram¹⁾, D. R. Harding¹⁾, D. G. Hicks^*2), P. A. Jaanimagi¹⁾, R. L. Keck¹⁾, J. Kelly¹⁾, J. P. Knauer¹⁾, C. K. Li²⁾, S. J. Loucks¹⁾, L. D. Lund¹⁾, F. J. Marshall¹⁾, P. W. McKenty¹⁾, D. D. Meyerhofer¹⁾, S. F. B. Morse¹⁾, R. D. Petrasso²⁾, P. B. Radha¹⁾, S. P. Regan¹⁾, S. Roberts¹⁾, F. Séguin²⁾, W. Seka¹⁾, S. Skupsky¹⁾, V. A. Smalyuk¹⁾, C. Sorce¹⁾, J. M. Soures¹⁾, C. Stoeckl¹⁾, R. P. J. Town¹⁾, M. D. Wittman¹⁾, B. Yaakobi¹⁾, and J. D. Zuegel^1)
 
1) Laboratory for Laser Energetics, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
²⁾ Plasma Science and Fusion Center, MIT, Boston, MA, USA
^* Currently at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, USA

Abstract.  Direct-drive laser-fusion ignition experiments rely on detailed understanding and control of irradiation uniformity, the Rayleigh-Taylor instability, and target fabrication. LLE is investigating various theoretical aspects of a direct-drive NIF ignition target based on an ``all-DT'' design: a spherical target of $\sim$3.4-mm diameter, 1 to 2 $\mu$m of CH wall thickness, and an $\sim$340- $\mu$m DT-ice layer near the triple point of DT ($\sim$19 K). OMEGA experiments are designed to address the critical issues related to direct-drive laser fusion and to provide the necessary data to validate the predictive capability of LLE computer codes. The cryogenic targets to be used on OMEGA are hydrodynamically equivalent to those planned for the NIF. The current experimental studies on OMEGA address the essential components of direct-drive laser fusion: irradiation uniformity and laser imprinting, Rayleigh-Taylor growth and saturation, compressed core performance and shell fuel mixing, laser plasma interactions and their effect on target performance, and cryogenic target fabrication and handling.

Read the full paper in PDF format.