Demonstration of radiation pulse shaping with nested-tungsten-wire-array pinches for high-yield inertial confinement fusion.
Nested wire-array pinches are shown to generate soft x-ray radiation pulse shapes required for three-shock isentropic compression and hot-spot ignition of high-yield inertial confinement fusion capsules. We demonstrate a reproducible and tunable foot pulse (first shock) produced by interaction of the outer and inner arrays. A first-step pulse (second shock) is produced by inner array collision with a central CH2 foam target. Stagnation of the inner array at the axis produces the third shock. Capsules optimized for several of these shapes produce 290-900 MJ fusion yields in 1D simulations.
Cuneo
M E
ME
Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185-1193, USA.
Vesey
R A
RA
Sinars
D B
DB
Chittenden
J P
JP
Waisman
E M
EM
Lemke
R W
RW
Lebedev
S V
SV
Bliss
D E
DE
Stygar
W A
WA
Porter
J L
JL
Schroen
D G
DG
Mazarakis
M G
MG
Chandler
G A
GA
Mehlhorn
T A
TA