Evaluation of the First Polar-Drive, DT-Gas--Filled Target Implosions on the NIF

Polar-drive (PD) target implosions using DT fuel have been designed and fielded for neutron diagnostic development on the NIF. The experiments use thin, room-temperature glass shells filled with low pressures (10 atm) of DT. Initial target implosions on the NIF are expected to produce DT yields in the range of a few 10$^{14}$~neutrons. The predicted yields are consistent with earlier data (10$^{14}$ neutrons at 30~kJ) and recent PD-scoping experiments performed on OMEGA. The experiments used existing x-ray-drive phase plates with judicious repointing and defocusing to drive the implosions as uniformly as possible. These implosions are modeled with three separate hydrodynamics codes: \textit{LILAC}, to optimize the 1-D design; \textit{SAGE}, to optimize the pointing uniformity; and \textit{DRACO}, to predict the yield from 2-D implosion simulations. Experimental results evaluating the yield performance and the overall hydrodynamic assembly of the implosions (as recorded on x-ray diagnostics) will be compared to simulations results and post-processed Spect3D analysis of the implosion. This work was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Inertial Confinement Fusion under Cooperative Agreement No. DE-FC52-08NA28302.