Two-Dimensional Investigation of Neutron-Yield Performance in Direct-Drive, Low-Adiabat D$_{2}$ Implosions on OMEGA

ORAL

Abstract

Neutron yields of direct-drive, low-adiabat (\textit{$\alpha $} $\approx $ 2 to 3) cryogenic D$_{2}$ target implosions on OMEGA have been systematically investigated using 2-D, radiation hydrodynamics \textit{DRACO} simulations. We have focused on the neutron-yield degradation caused by initial target offset, ice-layer roughness, and low-mode laser-irradiation nonuniformities. Simulations provide a reasonably good guide to understanding experimental neutron-yield degradation for thin-shell (5{\-}\textit{$\mu $}m) cryogenic implosions. The neutron yields are found to be sensitive to the phase between the target offset and the ice-layer roughness. For 10-\textit{$\mu $}m-thick-shell implosions, the experimental yield is generally lower than what low-mode \textit{DRACO} simulations predict, for which high-mode studies will also be presented. This work was supported by U.S. Department of Energy Office of Inertial Confinement Fusion under Cooperative Agreement No. DE-FC52-08NA28302.

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Authors

  • S.X. Hu

    • Laboratory for Laser Energetics, U. of Rochester

  • P.B. Radha

    • Laboratory for Laser Energetics, U. of Rochester

  • J.A. Marozas

    • Laboratory for Laser Energetics, U. of Rochester

  • R. Betti

    • Laboratory for Laser Energetics, U. of Rochester

  • T.J.B. Collins

    • Laboratory for Laser Energetics, U. of Rochester

  • R.S. Craxton

    • Laboratory for Laser Energetics, U. of Rochester

  • J.A. Delettrez

    • Laboratory for Laser Energetics, U. of Rochester

  • D.H. Edgell

    • Laboratory for Laser Energetics, U. of Rochester

  • R. Epstein

    • Laboratory for Laser Energetics, U. of Rochester

  • V.N. Goncharov

    • Laboratory for Laser Energetics, U. of Rochester

  • I.V. Igumenshchev

    • Laboratory for Laser Energetics, U. of Rochester

  • F.J. Marshall

    • Laboratory for Laser Energetics, U. of Rochester

  • R.L. McCrory

    • Laboratory for Laser Energetics, U. of Rochester

  • P.W. McKenty

    • Laboratory for Laser Energetics, U. of Rochester

  • D.D. Meyerhofer

    • Laboratory for Laser Energetics, U. of Rochester

  • S.P. Regan

    • Laboratory for Laser Energetics, U. of Rochester

  • T.C. Sangster

    • Laboratory for Laser Energetics, U. of Rochester

  • S. Skupsky

    • Laboratory for Laser Energetics, U. of Rochester

  • V.A. Smalyuk

    • Laboratory for Laser Energetics, U. of Rochester

  • D. Shvarts

    • Laboratory for Laser Energetics, U. of Rochester