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Discusses the determination of hot electron production by short pulse, high intensity lasers using photonuclear reactions. Generation of petawatt pulses using chirped pulse amplification; Analysis of photoneutron spectra from radiography targets; Observations of energetic electrons, prompt photoneurons and photonuclear activation.

Develops a tentative schedule of experiments for the ignition campaign on the National Ignition Facility (NIF), Berkeley Hills, California. Experiments used to validate beam pointing and balance to tune time history and symmetry of drive in NIF hohlraums; Design of initial target diagnostics to validate team pointing and to demonstrate the properties of the hohlraums.

Examines hot electron production and heating by hot electrons in fast ignitor research. Measurement of the characteristics of hot electron source at laser intensities up tp 10[sup 20] W cm[sup -2]; Initiation of the heating diagnosis at depth by hot electrons; Observation on hot electron generation.

Discusses the design and fabrication of an electronic charged particle spectrometer to measure the energy spectra of charged particles from targets on the Omega Upgrade. Design of the magnet; Charge coupled devices; Energy resolution; Operating yield; Signal-to-noise; CR-39 track detectors.

Presents an update on the progress of a diagnostic system proposed for ignition target experiments on the National Ignition Facility (NIF) glass laser system. NIF system design requirements; Startup and laser validation of the NIF experimental plan; Laser characterization diagnostics; Capsule performance diagnostics.

Discusses the results of experiments in which CR-39 track recording material was exposed to a number of implosions in the Nova laser. Identification of the incident particles and their energies; Calibration of the etching procedure; Comparison of deuterium-deuterium neutron yield with the deuterium-deuterium proton yield determined from the track.

Discusses the results of experiments on the use of charged-coupled devices (CCD) for charged-particle spectroscopy on OMEGA and NOVA lasers. Description of the charged-particle device; Tests of back-illuminated CCD; Signal and noise.

Describes a new x-ray technique for recording the relative arrival time of multiple laser beams at a common target. Accuracy rate of the Nova laser facility; Focus of Nova beams to separate locations on a gold ribbon target viewed from the side.

Recent work has resulted in the first high-resolution, spectroscopic measurements of energetic charged particles on OMEGA laser facility [T. R. Boehly et al., Opt. Commun. 133, 496 (1997)]. Energy spectra of charged fusion products have been obtained from two spectrometers, and have been used to deduce various physical quantities in imploded capsules. In this paper the first use of 14.7 MeV deuterium-helium3 (D-[sup 3]He) proton spectra for diagnosing shell areal density (ρR) and fuel ion temperature (T[sub i]) is discussed. For thick-plastic shell capsules, shell areal densities between 20 and 70 mg/cm2 and ion temperatures between 3 and 5 keV have been determined. The spectral linewidths associated with such capsules are found to be wider than the doppler widths. This effect, the focus of future study, is the result of ρR evolution during the burn; or is the result of an extended burn region; or results from nonuniformities in the shell. For thin-glass shell capsules, the spectral linewidths are dominated by the doppler width, and ion temperatures between 10 and 15 keV were determined. These measurements have been also compared and contrasted with the results from neutron measurements and from one-dimension hydrodynamic simulations. © 2000 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Describes the series of experiments on Omega in which a charged-particle spectrometer was utilized. Components of the spectrometer; Excellent particle selectivity and energy resolution of the spectrometer; Measurement of ratios of various fusion products from a single shot.

Investigates the degradation in implosion performance of surface-pitted, indirectly driven bromine-doped capsules to large hydrodynamic instability growth. Array of x-ray and neutron diagnostics; Range of primary and secondary neutron yields; Sensitivity of increasing surface roughness.