Integrated Fast-Ignition Experiments on OMEGA

Integrated fast-ignition experiments using room-temperature cone-in-shell targets have begun at the Omega/Omega EP Laser Facility. Empty 40-\textit{$\mu $}m-thick CD shells are imploded using 54 UV beams. At the time of peak compression, a short-pulse ($\sim $10 ps) IR laser with energy $>$1 kJ is focused into the tip of the hollow cone. A three-fold increase in time-integrated 2- to 7-keV x-ray emission was observed, indicating that fast-electron energy is coupled into the core. Neutron detectors are strongly affected by the emission of an intense \textit{$\gamma $}-ray pulse, making it challenging to measure neutron yield. Significant reduction of the \textit{$\gamma $}-ray background has been achieved by gating the MCP detector and using a liquid scintillator to suppress the afterglow. The D$_{2}$ neutron yield is being measured. This work was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Inertial Confinement Fusion under Cooperative Agreement Nos. DE-FC52-08NA28302, DE-FC02-04ER54789, and DE-FG02-05ER54839.