Progress in direct-drive inertial confinement fusion research at the laboratory for laser energetics

Direct-drive inertial confinement fusion (ICF) is expected to demonstrate high gain on the National Ignition Facility (NIF) in the next decade and is a leading candidate for inertial fusion energy production. The demonstration of high areal densities in hydrodynamically scaled cryogenic DT or D₂ implosions with neutron yields that are a significant fraction of the “clean” 1-D predictions will validate the ignition-equivalent direct-drive target performance on the OMEGA laser at the Laboratory for Laser Energetics (LLE). This paper highlights the recent experimental and theoretical progress leading toward achieving this validation in the next few years. The NIF will initially be configured for X-ray drive and with no beams placed at the target equator to provide a symmetric irradiation of a direct-drive capsule. LLE is developing the “polar-direct-drive” (PDD) approach that repoints beams toward the target equator. Initial 2-D simulations have shown ignition. A unique “Saturn-like” plastic ring around the equator refracts the laser light incident near the equator toward the target, improving the drive uniformity. LLE is currently constructing the multibeam, 2.6-kJ/beam, petawatt laser system OMEGA EP. Integrated fast-ignition experiments, combining the OMEGA EP and OMEGA Laser Systems, will begin in FY08.     

外光注入半导体激光器实现时钟分频

从理论和实验上研究了利用光注入半导体激光器对高重复速率光脉冲产生的周期振荡和时钟分频现象.结果表明，光注入半导体激光器引起的二倍周期振荡是使注入脉冲重复频率分频的直接原因.通过耦合速率方程，数值模拟了半导体激光器在外光注入时输出光的时间序列和功率谱，并且分析了激光腔内各种周期振荡的特征.研究表明，当注入光使半导体激光器出现稳定的二倍周期振荡，且注入光的重复频率为此振荡频率的二倍时，时钟分频即可产生实验中，采用重复频率为6.32GHz的光脉冲注入Fabry-Perot激光器，实现了3.16GHz时钟分频信号 关键词： 周期振荡 时钟分频 光谱侧带 光注入     

Nonlinear Rayleigh–Taylor instability of two superposed magnetic fluids under parallel rotation and a normal magnetic field

The Rayleigh–Taylor instability (RTI) of a ferrofluid has been the subject of recent research, because of its implications on the stability of stellar and planetary interiors. This paper analyzes the effects of rotation and magnetic field on nonlinear RTI of two superposed ferrofluids. It is considered that the system is subjected to uniform parallel rotation and normal magnetic field. Surface tension acts at the interface. The method of multiple scales is utilized to obtain the solutions and dispersion relations are obtained for the nonlinear problem of RTI of magnetic fluids. Finally the stability of the problem is discussed.     

Flames in narrow circular tubes

We examine an axi-symmetric deflagration located in a tube with thermally active walls. It is noted that the flame-in-tube configuration defines a classical edge-flame, a flame in a shear flow for which there is a water-shed solution for a critical value of the Damköhler number (D), ignition front solutions for larger values of D, and failure wave solutions for smaller values. We examine semi-infinite tubes with a heat flux imposed at the tube wall ends, to simulate experiments reported in the 30th Symposium. We identify parameters for which stable solutions are obtained at certain flow rates, but unstable solutions are generated at higher flow rates, followed by stable solutions at still higher flow rates. These solutions are consistent with the experimental record. Instability leads either to regular oscillations or to a violent process characterized by quenching and re-ignition.     

On intrinsic oscillation in radiation-affected diffusion flames

A linear stability analysis is conducted to study the onset of near-limit flame oscillation with radiative heat loss in 1-D chambered planar flames using multi-scale activation-energy asymptotics. The oscillatory instability near the radiation-induced extinction limit at large Damköhler numbers is identified, in additional to the one near the kinetic limit at small Damköhler numbers. It is shown that radiative loss assumes a similar role as varying the thermal diffusivity of the reactants. Thus, flame oscillation near the radiative limit is still thermal-diffusive in nature although it may develop under unity Lewis numbers. The unstable range of Damköhler numbers near the radiative limit shows quite similar parametric dependence on the Lewis numbers of reactants, Le_F and Le_O, the stoichiometry, ?, and the radiative loss as that near the kinetic limit. They both increase monotonically with Le_O and ? and increase then decrease with Le_F. Increasing radiative loss extends the parameter range under which flame oscillations may develop. However, they show different dependence on the temperature difference between the supplying reactants. Unless radiative loss approaches its maximum value the system can sustain, flame oscillation near the radiative limit is only possible within a limited range of ΔT, whereas it is promoted monotonically with decreasing ΔT near the kinetic limit. Furthermore, while radiative loss shows small effect on the nondimensional oscillation frequency, the dimensional frequency of flame oscillations near the radiative limit can be substantially smaller than that near the kinetic limit.     

The influence of fiber dispersion on the code form of the optical mm-wave signal generated by single sideband intensity-modulation

We have theoretically investigated the transmission performance of the optical mm-wave generation by using an external modulator based on single sideband (SSB) intensity modulation. Though the SSB millimeter (mm)-wave can immune the fading effect, the baseband signals with a high bit rate are degraded greatly after transmission along fiber. The main reason is that the fiber dispersion causes the time shift of the code edges; therefore the maximum transmission distance of the baseband signals is limited. The experimental and simulation results agree well with our theoretical analysis. We also propose a novel scheme to extend the transmission distance. In this novel scheme, the data signals are modulated only onto one of the two optical carriers; hence the shift of the code edges in the down-converted signals after transmission is eliminated.     

非磁化等离子体和磁化等离子体的电磁辐射特性研究

本文研究非磁化和磁化双MAXWELL分布等离子体的电磁不稳定性色散方程和电磁辐射增长率.结果表明,非磁化等离子体不能辐射出电磁波,而磁化等离子体能够辐射出电磁波.并分析讨论了磁化等离子体在不同参数下的电磁辐射增长率随辐射频率、等离子体密度和温度的变化.     

Nonlinear analysis of the deformation and breakup of viscous microjets using the method of lines

We present a numerical model for predicting the instability and breakup of viscous microjets of Newtonian fluid. We adopt a one‐dimensional slender‐jet approximation and obtain the equations of motion in the form of a pair of coupled nonlinear partial differential equations (PDEs). We solve these equations using the method of lines, wherein the PDEs are transformed to a system of ordinary differential equations for the nodal values of the jet variables on a uniform staggered grid. We use the model to predict the instability and satellite formation in infinite microthreads of fluid and continuous microjets that emanate from an orifice. For the microthread analysis, we take into account arbitrary initial perturbations of the free‐surface and jet velocity, as well as Marangoni instability that is due to an arbitrary variation in the surface tension. For the continuous nozzle‐driven jet analysis, we take into account arbitrary time‐dependent perturbations of the free‐surface, velocity and/or surface tension as boundary conditions at the nozzle orifice. We validate the model using established computational data, as well as axisymmetric, volume of fluid (VOF) computational fluid dynamic (CFD) simulations. The key advantages of the model are its ease of implementation and speed of computation, which is several orders of magnitude faster than the VOF CFD simulations. The model enables rapid parametric analysis of jet breakup and satellite formation as a function of jet dimensions, modulation parameters, and fluid rheology. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A simple proof of the linear instability of rotating liquid drops

We give a simplified proof of the linear instability of equilibrium figures of rotating liquid based on energy estimates.      

Unstable plasma characteristics in mirror field electron cyclotron resonance microwave ion source

Electron cyclotron plasma reactor are prone to instabilities in specific input power [3–7] region (150–450 watts). In this region power absorption by gas molecules in the cavity is very poor and enhanced input power gets reflected substantially without increasing ion density. There are abrupt changes in plasma characteristics when input power was decreased from maximum to minimum, it was observed that reflected power changed from <2% to ∼50%. Minimum two jumps in reflected power were noticed in this specific power region and these appear to be highly sensitive to three stub tuner position in the waveguide for this particular input power zone. Unstable plasma region of this source is found to be dependent upon the magnetic field strength. Some changes in reflected power are also noticed with pressure, flow and bias and they are random in nature.