Intense ion beams for inertial fusion

The basic physics of heavy-ion driven inertial fusion is timely reviewed. Emphasis is laid on the effects of strong space charge.     

Choice of targets for inertial confinement fusion

We propose a simple target in the form of a miniature torus, in which the heavy shell is used to confine the plasma spread, for a solution of the laser-fusion problem. We achieve a significant decrease of heat losses using an external magnetic field and/or as a result of a self-sustaining magnetic field that is generated in the plasma. We formulate the conditions and determine the energy of the laser pulse (or of a beam of fast charged particles) required to ignite a thermonuclear DD reaction and obtain a positive energy yield. We show that the stopping range of α-particles does not exceed the small radius of the torus within a broad range of the plasma and magnetic-field parameters.     

Intensity limits for propagation of 0.527 microm laser beams through large-scale-length plasmas for inertial confinement fusion

We have established the intensity limits for propagation of a frequency-doubled (2omega, 527 nm) high intensity interaction beam through an underdense large-scale-length plasma. We observe good beam transmission at laser intensities at or below 2x10(14) W/cm(2) and a strong reduction at intensities up to 10(15) W/cm(2) due to the onset of parametric scattering instabilities. We show that temporal beam smoothing by spectral dispersion allows a factor of 2 higher intensities while keeping the beam spray constant, which establishes frequency-doubled light as an option for ignition and burn in inertial confinement fusion experiments.     

惯性约束聚变实验中的层析成像技术研究

文章对惯性约束聚变(ICF)中的多方位成像的层析技术(CT)和编码成像技术在激光等离子体实验中的应用进行了研究．作者完成了以下工作：建立了多方位层析成像系统，自行编制三维图像重建的软件；采用三个方位的针孔相机对爆推爆靶内爆压缩过程进行成像，同时成功地获得了三个针孔图像，得到的直径压缩比约为3．且压缩的对称性很好；采用编码成像技术，在“神光Ⅱ”上成功地验证了菲涅耳波带片的可行性应用，并建立了激光热核聚变产生的α粒子和腔靶超热电子的菲涅耳波带片成像系统，获得了热核反应区的α粒子图像，并首次得到了厚壁腔靶的超热X射线图像．     

An improved method of unfolding neutron TOF spectrum for low ion temperature inertial confinement fusion

The fuel ion temperature in inertial confinement fusion can be determined from the neutron energy spectrum. For the implosion experiment with low neutron yield, and thus low signal-to-noise ratio, a new technique to unfold the neutron energy spectrum from the observed neutron time-of-flight signal is presented in this paper. This method uses a low-pass filter to remove noise from the signal with a threshold value determined by power spectrum analysis. This technique has been applied to the analysis of the observed neutron time-of-flight signals in the indirect drive implosion experiment conducted on Shenguang III prototype laser facility, and fuel ion temperatures of about 1.0 keV are obtained.     

An improved method of unfolding neutron TOF spectrum for low ion temperature inertial confinement fusion

The fuel ion temperature in inertial confinement fusion can be determined from the neutron energy spectrum. For the implosion experiment with low neutron yield, and thus low signal-to-noise ratio, a new technique to unfold the neutron energy spectrum from the observed neutron time-of-flight signal is presented in this paper. This method uses a low-pass filter to remove noise from the signal with a threshold value determined by power spectrum analysis. This technique has been applied to the analysis of the observed neutron time-of-flight signals in the indirect drive implosion experiment conducted on Shenguang Ⅲ prototype laser facility, and fuel ion temperatures of about 1.0 keV are obtained.     

惯性约束聚变反应速率测量

聚变反应速率是表征惯性约束聚变热核反应的重要参数,为测量聚变反应速率,研制了一套由闪烁体及鼻锥部分、光学系统和条纹相机组成的测量系统。在神光Ⅲ原型装置上利用新研制的聚变反应速率测量系统进行了聚变反应速率测量。在DT中子产额约为1010条件下,首次获得了聚变反应速率随时间的变化过程。对影响聚变反应速率测量的相关因素进行详细分析后表明,系统的时间分辨力优于30 ps。     

Prolate-spheroid ("rugby-shaped") hohlraum for inertial confinement fusion

A novel rugby-ball shaped hohlraum is designed in the context of the indirect-drive scheme of inertial-confinement fusion (ICF). Experiments were performed on the OMEGA laser and are the first use of rugby hohlraums for ICF studies. Analysis of experimental data shows that the hohlraum energetics is well understood. We show that the rugby-ball shape exhibits advantages over cylinder, in terms of temperature and of symmetry control of the capsule implosion. Simulations indicate that rugby hohlraum driven targets may be candidates for ignition in a context of early Laser MegaJoule experiments with reduced laser energy.     

惯性约束聚变反应速率测量

 聚变反应速率是表征惯性约束聚变热核反应的重要参数,为测量聚变反应速率,研制了一套由闪烁体及鼻锥部分、光学系统和条纹相机组成的测量系统。在神光Ⅲ原型装置上利用新研制的聚变反应速率测量系统进行了聚变反应速率测量。在DT中子产额约为10¹⁰条件下,首次获得了聚变反应速率随时间的变化过程。对影响聚变反应速率测量的相关因素进行详细分析后表明,系统的时间分辨力优于30 ps。     

An extended hydrodynamics model for inertial confinement fusion hohlraums

The European Physical Journal D - We studied the directional dependency of electronic stopping power of swift light ions in nickel using real-time time-dependent density functional theory. We...     

A new ignition hohlraum design for indirect-drive inertial confinement fusion

In this paper,a six-cylinder-port hohlraum is proposed to provide high symmetry flux on capsule.It is designed to ignite a capsule with 1.2-mm radius in indirect-drive inertial confinement fusion(ICF).Flux symmetry and laser energy are calculated by using three-dimensional view factor method and laser energy balance in hohlraum.Plasma conditions are analyzed based on the two-dimensional radiation-hydrodynamic simulations.There is no Y_(lm)(l≤4) asymmetry in the six-cylinder-port hohlraum when the influences of laser entrance holes(LEHs) and laser spots cancel each other out with suitable target parameters.A radiation drive with 300 eV and good flux symmetry can be achieved by using a laser energy of 2.3 MJ and peak power of 500 TW.According to the simulations,the electron temperature and the electron density on the wall of laser cone are high and low,respectively,which are similar to those of outer cones in the hohlraums on National Ignition Facility(NTF).And the laser intensity is also as low as those of NIF outer cones.So the backscattering due to laser plasma interaction(LPI) is considered to be negligible.The six-cyliner-port hohlraum could be superior to the traditional cylindrical hohlraum and the octahedral hohlraum in both higher symmetry and lower backscattering without supplementary technology at an acceptable laser energy level.It is undoubted that the hohlraum will add to the diversity of ICF approaches.     

Fast ignition of asymmetrically compressed targets for inertial confinement fusion

It is shown that fast ignition can ensure the combustion of asymmetrically compressed targets for inertial confinement fusion with an efficiency close to the combustion of one-dimensionally compressed targets. This statement is valid not only for targets specially designed for fast ignition. Fast heating by an external energy source can ensure the ignition of a target designed for spark ignition, but where this ignition does not occur because inhomogeneities are formed in the temperature and density distributions owing to the development of hydrodynamic instabilities. The condition for ignition is the fast heating of the plasma in the combustion initiation region whose size is comparable with the sizes of compression inhomogeneities. Thus, fast ignition not only significantly reduces the ignition energy, but also is possibly a necessary stage in the inertial confinement fusion scheme when the spherically symmetric compression of a target requires very high engineering and financial expenses. The studies are based on the numerical simulation of the compression and combustion of inertial confinement fusion targets with one- and two-dimensional hydrodynamic codes.     

激光惯性约束聚变靶靶丸制备与表征

激光惯性约束聚变的核心思想是利用球形内爆技术对聚变燃料进行增压,使热核燃料达到高温、高密度的等离子体状态,进而实现聚变点火。基于对称压缩、流体界面不稳定性和实验诊断的考虑,ICF实验对作为热核燃料容器的空心微球的品质在球形度、壁厚均匀性、表面粗糙度以及掺杂水平等方面提出了严格的要求。为满足这些要求,陆续发展了乳液微封装技术、降解芯轴技术、低压等离子体聚合/掺杂技术、干凝胶玻璃微球制备技术等用于多层塑料微球和空心玻璃微球的研制。另一方面,针对ICF靶丸量小、质轻以及表面要求高的特点,发展了相应的非破坏性靶丸参数表征技术,如X光照相技术、4π形貌表征技术、微球掺杂水平测量技术以及微球内燃料负载水平快速测试技术。基于这些制备与表征技术,初步实现了多层塑料微球、玻璃微球、聚-!-甲基苯乙烯芯轴微球、梯度掺杂CH微球的研制,满足了"神光Ⅱ"、"神光Ⅲ原型"及"神光Ⅲ主机"上开展的一系列内爆物理实验的要求,同时为未来点火物理实验用靶丸的研制提供了技术支撑。     

激光惯性约束聚变靶靶丸制备与表征

激光惯性约束聚变的核心思想是利用球形内爆技术对聚变燃料进行增压,使热核燃料达到高温、高密度的等离子体状态,进而实现聚变点火。基于对称压缩、流体界面不稳定性和实验诊断的考虑,ICF实验对作为热核燃料容器的空心微球的品质在球形度、壁厚均匀性、表面粗糙度以及掺杂水平等方面提出了严格的要求。为满足这些要求,陆续发展了乳液微封装技术、降解芯轴技术、低压等离子体聚合/掺杂技术、干凝胶玻璃微球制备技术等用于多层塑料微球和空心玻璃微球的研制。另一方面,针对ICF靶丸量小、质轻以及表面要求高的特点,发展了相应的非破坏性靶丸参数表征技术,如X光照相技术、4形貌表征技术、微球掺杂水平测量技术以及微球内燃料负载水平快速测试技术。基于这些制备与表征技术,初步实现了多层塑料微球、玻璃微球、聚-??-甲基苯乙烯芯轴微球、梯度掺杂CH微球的研制,满足了神光Ⅱ、神光Ⅲ原型及神光Ⅲ主机上开展的一系列内爆物理实验的要求,同时为未来点火物理实验用靶丸的研制提供了技术支撑。     

Evidence for stratification of deuterium-tritium fuel in inertial confinement fusion implosions

Measurements of the D(d,p)T (dd) and T(t,2n)(4)He (tt) reaction yields have been compared with those of the D(t,n)(4)He (dt) reaction yield, using deuterium-tritium gas-filled inertial confinement fusion capsule implosions. In these experiments, carried out on the OMEGA laser, absolute spectral measurements of dd protons and tt neutrons were obtained. From these measurements, it was concluded that the dd yield is anomalously low and the tt yield is anomalously high relative to the dt yield, an observation that we conjecture to be caused by a stratification of the fuel in the implosion core. This effect may be present in ignition experiments planned on the National Ignition Facility.     

Studies of plastic-ablator compressibility for direct-drive inertial confinement fusion on OMEGA

The compression of planar plastic targets was studied with x-ray radiography in the range of laser intensities of I approximately 0.5 to 1.5x10(15) W/cm2 using square (low-compression) and shaped (high-compression) pulses. Two-dimensional simulations with the radiative hydrocode DRACO show good agreement with measurements at laser intensities up to I approximately 10(15) W/cm2. These results provide the first experimental evidence for low-entropy, adiabatic compression of plastic shells in the laser intensity regime relevant to direct-drive inertial confinement fusion. A density reduction near the end of the drive at a high intensity of I approximately 1.5x10(15) W/cm2 has been correlated with the hard x-ray signal caused by hot electrons from two-plasmon-decay instability.     

激光惯性约束聚变靶制备技术研究进展

在实验室实现聚变反应释放的能量大于点燃聚变反应所需能量的阈值是当今世界ICF研究的主要目标,实现这一目标仍需要深入研究一系列的关键物理问题。在ICF研究中,制靶能力的发展与提升至关重要,靶的质量是实验成功的核心要素之一。本文介绍了国际ICF靶制备工作近年来在新型烧蚀层材料靶丸、新型靶丸支撑技术、优化黑腔材料与构型以及减小燃料填充管直径等方面取得的一系列进展,并结合ICF物理需求,简要阐述了ICF靶的发展趋势。     

视角因子方法在间接驱动ICF中的应用

采用视角因子方法,对间接驱动惯性约束聚变(ICF)过程中从腔内壁辐射到靶丸表面的辐射进行了计算,并分析了激光原型装置上的一个实验的对称性环境。间接驱动ICF系统的不对称性一般来自于激光焦斑和腔体的几何结构,利用视角因子方法,计算X光能量在腔体内的强度分布,将靶丸表面的驱动对称性表示成腔体结构和激光焦斑几何参数的函数。结果表明,采用该方法的程序模拟能够评估腔靶设计的主要参数。