Results from directly driven implosions of deuterated plastic shells filled with tritium gas

ORAL

Abstract

Results from implosions of tritium filled plastic shells containing thin deuterated sub-layers, as well as comparisons with 1-D capsule only simulations will be reported. The implosions were directly driven using a square, 1 ns wide, 27 kJ laser pulse, provided by the Laboratory for Laser Energetics, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY. The 15 um thick, by 865 $\mu$m OD, CH capsules were fabricated with 1 $\mu$m thick, deuterated plastic layers, located either in direct contact with the tritium gas, or offset by a layer of CH. Neutrons produced by deuterium-tritium fusions signify atomic mixing between the deuterated shell and the gas payload, allowing for a detailed study of the dynamics of mix in 3-D implosions. Data has been collected on implosions from capsules with a depth of burial of 0, 1, and 2 um of CH, as well as non-deuterated control shots. Capsules were shot with two gas fill pressures, 4 and 10 atm., to provide information on mix as a function of convergence. We report nuclear and X-ray data collected from these experiments. Further, we present comparisons with, 1-D and 2-D, capsule only simulations.

Authors

  • G.P. Grim

    Los Alamos National Laboratory

  • D.T. Casey

    LLNL, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

  • J.R. Fincke

    Los Alamos National Laboratory

  • Jesse Pino

    Lawrence Livermore Nat'l Lab, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

  • Vladimir Smalyuk

    Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, LLNL

  • Mike Steinkamp

    Los Alamos National Laboratory

  • Robert Tipton

    Lawrence Livermore Nat'l Lab, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory