Laser Stimulated Electron Distribution Functions and Their Effect on Laser Plasma Interactions

In a laser driven inertial confinement fusion target such as a hohlraum, inverse bremsstrahlung absorption of the laser light tends to change the electron velocity distribution function from Maxwellian toward a super Gaussian. In this work, the effect of this modification to the electron distribution function on cross beam energy transfer is explored for both the super Gaussian and for the blended Gaussian/super Gaussian of Fourkal, et al. [1] in igniting hohlraums from the National Ignition Facility using the multiphysics code HYDRA. [1] E. Fourkal, et al.. Phys. Plasmas 8, 550 (2001). LLNL-ABS-2008215