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International audience; Experiments were performed with CH, Be, C, and SiO2 ablators interacting with high-intensity UV laser radiation (5 × 1015 W/cm2, λ = 351 nm) to determine the optimum material for hot-electron production and strong-shock generation. Significantly more hot electrons are produced in CH (up to ∼13% instantaneous conversion efficiency), while the amount is a factor of ∼2 to 3 lower in the other ablators. A larger hot-electron fraction is correlated with a higher effective ablation pressure. The higher conversion efficiency in CH is attributed to stronger damping of ion-acoustic waves because of the presence of light H ions.

This Letter presents the first experimental demonstration of the capability to launch shocks of several-hundred Mbar in spherical targets--a milestone for shock ignition [R. Betti et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 98, 155001 (2007)]. Using the temporal delay between the launching of the strong shock at the outer surface of the spherical target and the time when the shock converges at the center, the shock-launching pressure can be inferred using radiation-hydrodynamic simulations. Peak ablation pressures exceeding 300 Mbar are inferred at absorbed laser intensities of ∼3×10(15) W/cm2. The shock strength is shown to be significantly enhanced by the coupling of suprathermal electrons with a total converted energy of up to 8% of the incident laser energy. At the end of the laser pulse, the shock pressure is estimated to exceed ∼1 Gbar because of convergence effects.

The Shock Ignition (SI) scheme (1) offers to reduce the laser requirements by relaxing the implosion phase to sub-ignition velocities and later adding an intense laser spike. Depending on laser energy, target characteristics and implosion velocity, high gains are expected (2, 3). Relevant intensities for scaled targets imploded in the velocity range from 150 to 400km/s are defined at ignition thresholds. A range of moderate implosion velocities is specified to match safe implosions. These conditions for target design are then inferred for relevant NIF and LMJ shock-ignited targets.

Shock-ignition experiments with peak laser intensities of ∼8 × 1015 W/cm2 were performed. D2 -filled plastic shells were compressed on a low adiabat by 40 of the 60 OMEGA beams. The remaining 20 beams were delayed and tightly focused onto the imploding shell to generate a strong shock. Up to 35% backscattering of laser energy was measured at the highest intensity. Hard x-ray measurements reveal a relatively low hot-electron temperature of ∼40 keV, independent of intensity and spike onset time.

Demonstrating ignition and net energy gain in the near future on MJ-class laser facilities will be a major step towards determining the feasibility of Inertial Fusion Energy (IFE), in Europe as in the United States. The current status of the French Laser MégaJoule (LMJ) programme, from the laser facility construction to the indirectly driven central ignition target design, is presented, as well as validating experimental campaigns, conducted, as part of this programme, on various laser facilities. However, the viability of the IFE approach strongly depends on our ability to address the salient questions related to efficiency of the target design and laser driver performances. In the overall framework of the European HiPER project, two alternative schemes both relying on decoupling target compression and fuel heating—fast ignition (FI) and shock ignition (SI)—are currently considered. After a brief presentation of the HiPER project's objectives, FI and SI target designs are discussed. Theoretical analysis and 2D simulations will help to understand the unresolved key issues of the two schemes. Finally, the on-going European experimental effort to demonstrate their viability on currently operated laser facilities is described.

Inertial Confinement Fusion with Shock Ignition relies on a very strong shock created by a laser pulse at an intensity of the order of 1016W/cm2. In this context, an experimental campaign at the Prague Asterix Laser System (PALS) has been carried out within the frame of the HiPER project. Two beams have been used, the first to create an extended preformed plasma (scale length of the order of hundreds of micrometers) on a planar target, the second to generate a strong shock wave. Different diagnostics were used to study both the shock breakout at the rear surface of the target and the laserplasma coupling and parametric instabilities. This paper is focused on back-scattering analysis to measure the backreflected energy and to characterize parametric instabilities such as stimulated Brillouin and Raman scattering. Our experimental data show that parametric instabilities do not play a strong role in the laser plasma coupling. Moreover, preliminary analysis of the back reflected light from the interaction region shows that less than 5% of the total incident laser energy was back-reflected, with only a small fraction of that light was originating from parametric instabilities.

We present the results of an experiment concerning laser-plasma interaction in the regime relevant to shock ignition. The interaction of high-intensity frequency tripled laser pulse with CH plasma preformed by lower intensity pre-pulse on fundamental wavelength of the kJ-class iodine laser was investigated in the planar geometry in order to estimate the coupling of the laser energy to the shock wave or parametric instabilities such as stimulated Raman or Brillouin scattering, or to the fast electrons. First the complete characterization of the hydrodynamic parameters of preformed plasma was made using crystal spectrometer to estimate the electron temperature and XUV probe to resolve the electron density profile close to the critical density region. The other part of the experiment consisted of the shock chronometry, calorimetry of the back-scattered light and hard X-ray spectrometry to evaluate the coupling to different processes. The preliminary analysis of the measurements showed rather low energy transfer of the high-intensity pulse to back-scattered light (> 5%) and no traces of any significant hot electron production were found in the X-ray spectra. © 2011 SPIE.

We introduce the concepts for the control and data handling systems of the European Solar Telescope (EST), the main functional and technical requirements for the definition of these systems, and the outcomes from the trade-off analysis to date. Concerning the telescope control, EST will have performance requirements similar to those of current medium-sized night-time telescopes. On the other hand, the science goals of EST require the simultaneous operation of three instruments and of a large number of detectors. This leads to a projected data flux that will be technologically challenging and exceeds that of most other astronomical projects. We give an overview of the reference design of the control and data handling systems for the EST to date, focusing on the more critical and innovative aspects resulting from the overall design of the telescope.

To support direct-drive inertial confinement fusion experiments at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) [G. H. Miller, E. I. Moses, and C. R. Wuest, Opt. Eng. 43, 2841 (2004)] in its indirect-drive beam configuration, the polar-direct-drive (PDD) concept [S. Skupsky et al., Phys. Plasmas 11, 2763 (2004)] has been proposed. Ignition in PDD geometry requires direct-drive–specific beam smoothing, phase plates, and repointing the NIF beams toward the equator to ensure symmetric target irradiation. First experiments to study the energetics and preheat in PDD implosions at the NIF have been performed. These experiments utilize the NIF in its current configuration, including beam geometry, phase plates, and beam smoothing. Room-temperature, 2.2-mm-diam plastic shells filled with D2 gas were imploded with total drive energies ranging from ∼500 to 750 kJ with peak powers of 120 to 180 TW and peak on-target irradiances at the initial target radius from 8 × 1014 to 1.2 × 1015 W/cm2. Results from these initial experi...

Recent experiments on the Laboratory for Laser Energetics' OMEGA laser have been carried out to produce strong shocks in solid spherical targets with direct laser illumination. The shocks are launched at pressures of several hundred Mbars and reach Gbar upon convergence. The results are relevant to the validation of the shock-ignition scheme and to the development of an OMEGA experimental platform to study material properties at Gbar pressures. The experiments investigate the strength of the ablation pressure and the hot-electron production at incident laser intensities of ∼2 to 6 × 1015 W/cm2 and demonstrate ablation pressures exceeding 300 Mbar, which is crucial to developing a shock-ignition target design for the National Ignition Facility. The timing of the x-ray flash from shock convergence in the center of the solid plastic target is used to infer the ablation and shock pressures. Laser–plasma instabilities produce hot-electrons with a moderate temperature (

Achieving thermonuclear ignition using direct laser illumination relies on the capability to accelerate spherical shells to high implosion velocities while maintaining shell integrity. Ablator materials of moderate atomic number Z reduce the detrimental effects of laser–plasma instabilities in direct-drive implosions. To validate the physics of moderate-Z ablator materials for ignition target designs on the National Ignition Facility (NIF), hydro-equivalent targets are designed using pure plastic (CH), high-density carbon, and glass (SiO2) ablators. The hydrodynamic stability of these targets is investigated through two-dimensional (2D) single-mode and multimode simulations. The overall stability of these targets to laser-imprint perturbations and low-mode asymmetries makes it possible to design high-gain targets. Designs using polar-drive illumination are developed within the NIF laser system specifications. Mid-Z ablator targets are an attractive candidate for direct-drive ignition since they present better overall performance than plastic ablator targets through reduced laser–plasma instabilities and a similar hydrodynamic stability.

We report on laser-driven, strong-shock generation and hot-electron production in planar targets in the presence of a pre-plasma at shock-ignition (SI) relevant laser and pre-plasma conditions. 2-D simulations reproduce the shock dynamics well, indicating ablator shocks of up to 75 Mbar have been generated. We observe hot-electron temperatures of ∼70 keV at intensities of 1.4 × 1015 W/cm2 with multiple overlapping beams driving the two-plasmon decay instability. When extrapolated to SI-relevant intensities of ∼1016 W/cm2, the hot electron temperature will likely exceed 100 keV, suggesting that tightly focused beams without overlap are better suited for launching the ignitor shock.

Shock ignition [R. Betti et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 98, 155001 (2007)] is being pursued as a viable option to achieve ignition on the National Ignition Facility (NIF). Shock-ignition target designs use a high-intensity laser spike at the end of a low-adiabat assembly pulse to launch a spherically convergent strong shock to ignite the hot spot of an imploding capsule. A shock-ignition target design for the NIF is presented. One-dimensional simulations indicate an ignition threshold factor of 4.1 with a gain of 58. A polar-drive beam-pointing configuration for shock-ignition experiments on the NIF at 750 kJ is proposed. The capsule design is shown to be robust to the various one- and two-dimensional effects and nonuniformities anticipated on the NIF. The target is predicted to ignite with a gain of 38 when including all anticipated levels of nonuniformity and system uncertainty.

Within the framework of the shock-ignition (SI) scheme, ignition conditions are reached following the separation of the compression and heating phases. First, the shell is compressed at a sub-ignition implosion velocity; then an intense laser spike is launched at the end of the main drive, leading to the propagation of a strong shock through the precompressed fuel. The minimal laser energy required for ignition of scaled deuterium–tritium (DT) targets is assessed by calculations. A semi-empiric model describing the ignitor shock generation and propagation in the fuel assembly is defined. The minimal power needed in the laser spike pulse to achieve ignition is derived from the hydrodynamic model. Optimal conditions for ignition of scaled targets are explored in terms of laser intensity, shell-implosion velocity, and target scale range for the SI process. Curves of minimal laser requirements for ignition are plotted in the energy–power diagram. The most economic and reliable conditions for ignition of a millimeter DT target are observed in the 240- to 320-km/s implosion velocity range and for the peak laser intensity ranging from ∼2 × 1015 W/cm2 up to 5 × 1015 W/cm2. These optimal conditions correspond to shock-ignited targets for a laser energy of ∼250 kJ and a laser power of 100 to 200 TW. Large, self-ignited targets are particularly attractive by offering ignition at a lower implosion velocity and a reduced laser intensity than for conventional ignition. The SI scheme allows for the compression and heating phases of the high power laser energy research facility target to be performed at a peak laser intensity below 1016 W/cm2. A better control of parametric and hydrodynamic instabilities within the SI scheme sets it as an optimal and reliable approach to attain ignition of large targets.

Shock ignition of DT capsules involves two major steps. First, the fuel is assembled by means of a low velocity conventional implosion. At stagnation, the central core has a temperature lower than the one needed for ignition. Then a second, strong spherical converging shock, launched from a high intensity laser spike, arrives to the core. This shock crosses the core, rebounds at the target center and increases the central pressure to the ignition conditions. In this work we consider this latter phase by using the Guderley self-similar solution for converging flows. Our model accounts for the fusion reaction energy deposition, thermal and radiation losses thus describing the basic physics of hot spot ignition. The ignition criterion derived from the analytical model is successfully compared with full scale hydrodynamic simulations.

Spherical shock-ignition experiments on OMEGA used a novel beam configuration that separates low-intensity compression beams and high-intensity spike beams. Significant improvements in the performance of plastic-shell, D2 implosions were observed with repointed beams. The analysis of the coupling of the high-intensity spike beam energy into the imploding capsule indicates that absorbed hot-electron energy contributes to the coupling. The backscattering of laser energy was measured to reach up to 36% at single-beam intensities of ∼8 × 1015 W/cm2. Hard x-ray measurements revealed a relatively low hot-electron temperature of ∼30 keV independent of intensity and timing. At the highest intensity, stimulated Brillouin scattering occurs near and above the quarter-critical density and the two-plasmon-decay instability is suppressed.

Shock ignition is an inertial confinement fusion scheme where the ignition conditions are achieved in two steps. First, the DT shell is compressed at a low implosion velocity creating a central core at a low temperature and a high density. Then, a strong spherical converging shock is launched before the fuel stagnation time. It increases the central pressure and ignites the core. It is shown in this paper that this latter phase can be described analytically by using a self-similar solution to the equations of ideal hydrodynamics. A high and uniformly distributed pressure in the hot spot can be created thus providing favorable conditions for ignition. Analytic ignition criteria are obtained that relate the areal density of the compressed core with the shock velocity. The conclusions of the analytical model are confirmed in full hydrodynamic simulations.

The conventional approach of laser driven inertial fusion involves the implosion of cryogenic shells of deuterium-tritium ice. At sufficiently high implosion velocities, the fuel ignites by itself from a central hot spot. In order to reduce the risks of hydrodynamic instabilities inherent to large implosion velocities, it was proposed to compress the fuel at low velocity, and ignite the compressed fuel by means of a convergent shock wave driven by an intense spike at the end of the laser pulse. This scheme, known as shock ignition, reduces the risks of shell break-up during the acceleration phase, but it may be impeded by a low coupling efficiency of the laser pulse with plasma at high intensities. This work provides a relationship between the implosion velocity and the laser intensity required to ignite the target by a shock. The operating domain of shock ignition at different energies is described.

Ignition of a precompressed thermonuclear fuel by means of a converging shock is now considered as a credible scheme to obtain high gains for inertial fusion energy. This work aims at modeling the successive stages of the fuel time history, from compression to final thermonuclear combustion, in order to provide the gain curves of shock ignition (SI). The leading physical mechanism at work in SI is pressure amplification, at first by spherical convergence, and by collision with the shock reflected at center during the stagnation process. These two effects are analyzed, and ignition conditions are provided as functions of the shock pressure and implosion velocity. Ignition conditions are obtained from a non-isobaric fuel assembly, for which we present a gain model. The corresponding gain curves exhibit a significantly lower ignition threshold and higher target gains than conventional central ignition.

Shock ignition of a pre-compressed deuterium tritium fuel is considered here. When properly timed, a converging shock launched in the target prior to stagnation time strongly enhances the hot spot pressure. This allows ignition to be reached in a nonisobaric configuration. We show in this work that the igniting mechanism is pressure amplification by shock convergence and shock collision. The shock ignition applied to the HiPER target allows one to study the robustness of this method. It is shown that the spike energy is not a critical parameter and that the spike power delivered on the target depends mainly on the shell implosion velocity. Finally, a family of homothetic targets ignited with a shock wave is studied.

Two main paths are now under investigation that aim at thermonuclear ignition of hydrogen isotopes using lasers: central hot spot self-ignition and externally driven fast ignition of preassembled fuel. A third, intermediate, scheme is shock ignition, which combines the simplicity of self-ignition capsules to the hydrodynamic robustness of the fast ignition fuel assembly. This study addresses the potential of shock ignition for the HiPER project and provides a preliminary assessment of possible detrimental effects. Monodimensional simulations are performed to study the robustness of the ignition scheme in terms of shock launching time and laser power. Bidimensional simulations address the sensitivity of shock ignition to irradiation nonuniformity and to low mode asymmetries of the fuel assembly.