Radiochemistry measurements on the Phebus laser

Abstract

We are developing neutron diagnostics to characterize the implosions performed with the Phebus laser, operating at 5 kJ blue light delivered in 1.3 ns. For measuring the glass pusher areal density, (pAR), of the target, a silicon radiochemistry diagnostic has been implemented and is currently being used. We describe the diagnostic and its performance. Pusher areal density measurements, (pAR) and calculated values of fuel density are given. Deuterium (D)-tritium (T) final densities as high as 100 x D-T liquid density (20 g/cm 3 ) have been achieved.

Collection of solid and gaseous samples to diagnose inertial confinement fusion implosions

“…A key nuclear diagnostic, utilized sporadically on past large laser ICF facilities, is the collection of radiochemical samples following implosions. [1][2][3][4][5][6] Radiochemistry is perhaps the most versatile, flexible and dynamic of all nuclear diagnostics because it provides quantitative data on multiple capsule performance parameters such as mix of the shell material into the fuel, asymmetry of implosion, shell, and fuel ρR (the density of various parts of the capsule during maximum neutron production), neutron yield, neutron energy spectral information, high energy neutron information, fill tube or other material jets, charged particle stopping, and the fission yield of the hohlraum by employing a variety of nuclear reactions on materials either present naturally in the capsule/hohlraum or specifically doped into the capsule. 7,8 Radiochemical diagnostics will also be critical for experiments investigating atomic-nuclear interactions within the plasma, [9][10][11] investigating the role of isomers in nuclear synthesis cross-section sets, a) Electronic mail: mastoyer@llnl.gov.…”