Simulating isochoric compression schemes for Proton Fast Ignition using the radiation-hydrodynamics code MULTI-IFE

In Proton Fast Ignition (PFI) an inertial fusion target is compressed to densities of the order of hundreds of g/cc using nanosecond-scale lasers. To reach the necessary temperature for ignition, a high-energy proton beam of multiple MeV is focused onto the compressed fusion fuel. In other inertial fusion schemes, the fuel is required to be in an isobaric state at ignition time, which typically involves the creation of a hot spot in the center of the fuel. In PFI the creation of a hot spot by the laser compression is not necessary, due to the ignitor pulse, allowing for an isochoric compression scheme with relaxed conditions.

We aim to follow up on the work conducted by Clarke and Lazarus on self-similar implosion flows that reach an isochoric state, which can be used for ignition. We will present the results of our one-dimensional implosion simulations, examining the sensitivities of various tabulated equation of state and opacity models. Also, we report on our progress on the optimization of the one-dimensional compression using a particle swarm based optimization method with given laser energy and target mass. These results can be used to inform design decisions for the building of a high gain fusion power plant.