Abstract
The interaction of laser radiation with foams of various porosities and low densities has been the subject of several numerical and experimental studies (Nicolaï
et al
2012
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...113105; Perez
et al
2014
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023102). In all cases, the modeling of low-Z under-dense foams as uniform gases of equivalent average density using standard radiation-hydrodynamics codes has resulted in heat-front velocities that are considerably faster than those observed experimentally. It has been theoretically conjectured that this difference may be attributed to the breakdown of the foam’s morphology, leading to a dynamics of filament expansion where the ion and electron energy partitions are significantly different from those calculated using the uniform gas model. We found that 3D computer simulations employing a disconnected representation of the foam’s microstructure which allowed for the dynamics of foam element heating, expansion, and stagnation largely supported the theoretical picture. Simulations using this model for laser experiments on under-dense 2 mg cc
−1
SiO
2
aerogel foams (Mariscal
et al
2021
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013106) reproduced the experimental data fairly well. We used the validated model in simulations of low-density structured foam-like materials (produced via additive manufacturing) with a variety of morphologies. We found that the log-pile configurations were consistent with the analytical propagation model of Gus’kov
et al
(2011
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103114). Further validation of the model was obtained by simulating experiments performed at the Jupiter Laser Facility using the log-pile and octet-truss foam morphologies. Simulations of the foam–laser interaction using a wave propagation code showed that the microstructure was able to enhance stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) by concentrating the light energy into density holes. In turn, this promotes laser filamentation, reducing SBS and bringing the predicted values closer to the experimental data.
The neutron spectrum from a cryogenically layered deuterium-tritium (dt) implosion at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) provides essential information about the implosion performance. From the ...measured primary-neutron spectrum (13-15 MeV), yield (Yn) and hot-spot ion temperature (Ti) are determined. From the scattered neutron yield (10-12 MeV) relative to Yn, the down-scatter ratio, and the fuel areal density (ρR) are determined. These implosion parameters have been diagnosed to an unprecedented accuracy with a suite of neutron-time-of-flight spectrometers and a magnetic recoil spectrometer implemented in various locations around the NIF target chamber. This provides good implosion coverage and excellent measurement complementarity required for reliable measurements of Yn, Ti and ρR, in addition to ρR asymmetries. The data indicate that the implosion performance, characterized by the experimental ignition threshold factor, has improved almost two orders of magnitude since the first shot taken in September 2010. ρR values greater than 1 g cm−2 are readily achieved. Three-dimensional semi-analytical modelling and numerical simulations of the neutron-spectrometry data, as well as other data for the hot spot and main fuel, indicate that a maximum hot-spot pressure of ∼150 Gbar has been obtained, which is almost a factor of two from the conditions required for ignition according to simulations. Observed Yn are also 3-10 times lower than predicted. The conjecture is that the observed pressure and Yn deficits are partly explained by substantial low-mode ρR asymmetries, which may cause inefficient conversion of shell kinetic energy to hot-spot thermal energy at stagnation.
In this work we present the design of the first controlled fusion laboratory experiment to reach target gain G>1 N221204 (5 December 2022) Phys. Rev. Lett. 132, 065102 ...(2024)10.1103/PhysRevLett.132.065102, performed at the National Ignition Facility, where the fusion energy produced (3.15 MJ) exceeded the amount of laser energy required to drive the target (2.05 MJ). Following the demonstration of ignition according to the Lawson criterion N210808, experiments were impacted by nonideal experimental fielding conditions, such as increased (known) target defects that seeded hydrodynamic instabilities or unintentional low-mode asymmetries from nonuniformities in the target or laser delivery, which led to reduced fusion yields less than 1 MJ. This Letter details design changes, including using an extended higher-energy laser pulse to drive a thicker high-density carbon (also known as diamond) capsule, that led to increased fusion energy output compared to N210808 as well as improved robustness for achieving high fusion energies (greater than 1 MJ) in the presence of significant low-mode asymmetries. For this design, the burnup fraction of the deuterium and tritium (DT) fuel was increased (approximately 4% fuel burnup and a target gain of approximately 1.5 compared to approximately 2% fuel burnup and target gain approximately 0.7 for N210808) as a result of increased total (DT plus capsule) areal density at maximum compression compared to N210808. Radiation-hydrodynamic simulations of this design predicted achieving target gain greater than 1 and also the magnitude of increase in fusion energy produced compared to N210808. The plasma conditions and hotspot power balance (fusion power produced vs input power and power losses) using these simulations are presented. Since the drafting of this manuscript, the results of this paper have been replicated and exceeded (N230729) in this design, together with a higher-quality diamond capsule, setting a new record of approximately 3.88MJ of fusion energy and fusion energy target gain of approximately 1.9.
We have found that radiation-hydrodynamic calculations that use the high flux model assumptions 1 can accurately predict the radiation drive produced by a laser-heated hohlraum under certain ...conditions, but can not predict drive over a broad range of parameters (pulse energy, hohlraum gas fill density, hohlraum case-to-capsule ratio). In particular, the model is accurate for ∼7 ns long laser pulses used to implode capsules with high density carbon (HDC) ablators in hohlraums with helium fill gas densities of 0-0.6 mg cc. By systematically varying the gas fill density from 0 to 1.6 mg cc we found that the agreement with drive begins to diverge for fills > 0.85 mg cc. This divergence from the model coincides with the onset of measureable SRS backscatter. In this same set of experiments the radiation drive symmetry inferred from the imploded shape of a gas-filled capsule is not predicted with this model. Finally, several possible fixes to the model to reduce the observed discrepancies are considered.
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