Energy Scaling of Laser Direct-Drive Implosion Performance on OMEGA

ORAL

Abstract

The best implosions at the Omega Laser Facility have achieved ~20% of the Lawson product needed to ignite. As these experiments are limited to 30 kJ of laser energy, the capabilities of future laser-direct-drive (LDD) systems is a strong function of fusion performance versus driver energy, as well as any mechanisms that depend on scale. Prominent examples include cross-beam energy transfer, two-plasmon decay, and stimulated Raman scattering. To assess the behavior of LDD systems versus laser energy and target size, we have performed experiments where total energy (and capsule radius) is reduced a factor of ~2 (1.25). We find that fusion yield and areal density increase quickly with laser energy and target size, and much faster than 1D theory would typically expect. We discuss these observations, and show they are consistent with 2D simulations assuming the main flaws in the laser and target are ~ fixed in physical dimensions. For context, we will also consider several extrapolations of LDD under a variety of scenarios. This material is based upon work supported by the Department of Energy National Nuclear Security Administration under Awards No. DE-NA0004414 and No. DE-NA0003856, the University of Rochester, and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority.

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Presenters

  • Cliff A Thomas

    University of Rochester, Laboratory for Laser Energetics, University of Rochester

Authors

  • Cliff A Thomas

    University of Rochester, Laboratory for Laser Energetics, University of Rochester

  • James P Knauer

    Laboratory for Laser Energetics, University of Rochester, University of Rochester

  • Christian Stoeckl

    Laboratory for Laser Energetics, University of Rochester, University of Rochester

  • Michael J Rosenberg

    University of Rochester Laboratory for Laser Energetics (LLE), Laboratory for Laser Energetics, University of Rochester, University of Rochester

  • Sean P Regan

    Laboratory for Laser Energetics, University of Rochester

  • Timothy J Collins

    Laboratory for Laser Energetics, University of Rochester

  • Valeri N Goncharov

    Laboratory for Laser Energetics, University of Rochester, University of Rochester, Laboratory for Laser Energetics

  • Riccardo Betti

    Laboratory for Laser Energetics, University of Rochester, Laboratory for Laser Energy, Rochester, NY, USA.

  • Dustin H Froula

    University of Rochester, University of Rochester - Laboratory for Laser Energetics

  • Christopher Deeney

    Laboratory for Laser Energetics, University of Rochester

  • Kenneth S Anderson

    Laboratory for Laser Energetics, University of Rochester

  • K. A Bauer

    Laboratory for Laser Energetics, University of Rochester

  • Mark J Bonino

    University or Rochester Laboratory for Laser Energetics, Laboratory for Laser Energetics, University of Rochester

  • Duc M Cao

    Laboratory for Laser Energetics, University of Rochester, U. Rochester/LLE

  • Stephen S Craxton

    University of Rochester Laboratory for Laser Energetics (LLE), University of Rochester, Laboratory for Laser Energetics

  • Dana H Edgell

    University of Rochester - Laboratory for Laser Energetics

  • Reuben Epstein

    University of Rochester

  • Sarah Fess

    Laboratory for Laser Energetics

  • Chad Forrest

    Laboratory for Laser Energetics, Laboratory for Laser Energetics, University of Rochester

  • Vladimir Glebov

    Lab for Laser Energetics

  • Varchas Gopalaswamy

    Laboratory for Laser Energetics, University of Rochester, Laboratory for Laser Energetics - Rochester

  • David R Harding

    University or Rochester Laboratory for Laser Energetics, Laboratory for Laser Energetics

  • Igor V Igumenshchev

    Lab for Laser Energetics

  • Steven T Ivancic

    Laboratory for Laser Energetics, University of Rochester, Laboratory for Laser Energetics

  • Douglas W Jacobs-Perkins

    Laboratory for Laser Energetics, University of Rochester

  • Roger T Janezic

    Laboratory for Laser Energetics, University of Rochester

  • Tirtha Raj Joshi

    Lab For Laser Energetics

  • Michael Koch

    Laboratory for Laser Energetics, University of Rochester

  • Joe Kwiatkowski

    University of Rochester, LLE

  • Aarne Lees

    University of Rochester - Laboratory for Laser Energetics, Laboratory for Laser Energetics, University of Rochester, University of Rochester

  • Frederic J Marshall

    University of Rochester

  • Michael Michalko

    Laboratory for Laser Energetics

  • Samuel Morse

    Kwiatkowski

  • Dhrumir P Patel

    University of Rochester

  • Jonathan L Peebles

    Laboratory for Laser Energetics, University of Rochester

  • P. B Radha

    Los Alamos National Laboratory, University of Rochester

  • Hans G Rinderknecht

    Laboratory for Laser Energetics, University of Rochester, Laboratory for Laser Energetics - Rochester, Laboratory for Laser Energetics (LLE)

  • Siddharth Sampat

    Laboratory for Laser Energetics

  • Thomas C Sangster

    University of Rochester

  • Rahul C Shah

    Laboratory for Laser Energetics - Rochester, University of Rochester - Laboratory for Laser Energetics, Laboratory for Laser Energetics, University of Rochester

  • Walter T Shmayda

    Laboratory for Laser Energetics, U. of Rochester

  • David P Turnbull

    University of Rochester - Laboratory for Laser Energetics, University of Rochester Laboratory for Laser Energetics

  • Wolfgang Theobald

    Focused Energy, Focused Energy GmbH, University of Rochester

  • Conner A Williams

    Sandia National Laboratories, SNL

  • Edward M Campbell

    MCM Consultants

  • Alison R Christopherson

    Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

  • Max Tabak

    Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

  • Neil B Alexander

    General Atomics - San Diego, General Atomics

  • Mike P Farrell

    GA

  • Claudia M Shuldberg

    GA