https://doi.org/10.1140/epjd/e2007-00163-0
Update on design simulations for NIF ignition targets, and the rollup of all specifications into an error budget
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, P.O. Box 808, Livermore, CA, 94551, USA
Corresponding author: a haan1@llnl.gov
Received:
15
February
2006
Revised:
15
June
2006
Published online:
23
May
2007
Targets intended to produce ignition on NIF are being simulated and the simulations are used to set specifications for target fabrication and other program elements. Recent design work has focused on designs that assume only 1.0 MJ of laser energy instead of the previous 1.6 MJ. To perform with less laser energy, the hohlraum has been redesigned to be more efficient than previously, and the capsules are slightly smaller. Three hohlraum designs are being examined: gas fill, SiO2 foam fill, and SiO2 lined. All have a cocktail wall, and shields mounted between the capsule and the laser entrance holes. Two capsule designs are being considered. One has a graded doped Be(Cu) ablator, and the other graded doped CH(Ge). Both can perform acceptably with recently demonstrated ice layer quality, and with recently demonstrated outer surface roughness. Complete tables of specifications are being prepared for both targets, to be completed this fiscal year. All the specifications are being rolled together into an error budget indicating adequate margin for ignition with the new designs. The dominant source of error is hohlraum asymmetry at intermediate modes 4–8, indicating the importance of experimental techniques to measure and control this asymmetry.
PACS: 52.57.-z – Laser inertial confinement / 52.57.Bc – Target design and fabrication / 52.57.Fg – Implosion symmetry and hydrodynamic instability (Rayleigh-Taylor, Richtmyer-Meshkov, imprint, etc.)
© EDP Sciences, Società Italiana di Fisica, Springer-Verlag, 2007