Effects of electron and radiation preheat on shocked, 3D-printed, two-photon polymerization lattices

Los Alamos National Laboratory’s Bosque campaign aims to investigate how the mix and thermalization of shell materials and fusion reactants affects fusion reactant rates. Here, the mix occurs via the shock-compression of a heterogeneous media consisting of deuterated two-photon polymerization (2PP), 3D-printed lattices filled with tritium gas. Variations to the lattice structure, such as the unit cell geometry and lattice thickness, and to the gas fill composition enable a deliberate approach in studying these mixing and thermalization effects. However, preheating from radiation and electron heat transport can advance into the lattice ahead of the shock front, modifying upstream conditions prior to shock compression.

In this study, we will explore the sensitivity of the 2PP-3D lattice structure and mix in shock-tube experiments conducted on the Omega 60 Laser Facility to preheating from various sources such as laser-generated hot electrons and hard X-rays, the radiative precursor from the generated shock, and non-classical electron heat flux due to steep temperature gradients. Experiments are modeled with the radiation-hydrodynamics code, xRage, and comparisons are made to measured shock positions and expansion rates of the witness disk.