Ricerc@Sapienza

Shock-ignition (SI) is a direct-drive laser fusion scheme, in which the fuel is imploded at velocity somewhat smaller than in conventional schemes. The hot spot required for ignition is attained thanks to a converging shock-wave generated by an intense final spike of the laser pulse. Earlier studies show potentials of SI for high gain at driver energy of the order of 1 MJ, provided that laser-plasma instabilities do not degrade laser absorption and do not preheat the fuel. However, also hydrodynamic aspects need investigation.

Simultaneously measured DD, DT, and (DHe)-He-3 reaction histories are used to probe the impacts of multi-ion physics during the shock phase of inertial confinement fusion implosions. In these relatively hydrodynamiclike (burn-averaged Knudsen number NK similar to 0.3) shock-driven implosions, average-ion hydrodynamic DUED simulations are able to reasonably match burnwidths, nuclear yields, and ion temperatures. However, kinetic-ion FPION simulations are able to better simulate the timing differences and time-resolved reaction rate ratios between DD, DT, and (DHe)-He-3 reactions.