First Measurements of Fuel-Ablator Interface Instability Growth in Inertial Confinement Fusion Implosions on the National Ignition Facility

C. R. Weber, T. Döppner, D. T. Casey, T. L. Bunn, L. C. Carlson, R. J. Dylla-Spears, B. J. Kozioziemski, A. G. MacPhee, A. Nikroo, H. F. Robey, J. D. Sater, and V. A. Smalyuk
Phys. Rev. Lett. 117, 075002 – Published 9 August 2016; Erratum Phys. Rev. Lett. 117, 159902 (2016)

Abstract

Direct measurements of hydrodynamic instability growth at the fuel-ablator interface in inertial confinement fusion (ICF) implosions are reported for the first time. These experiments investigate one of the degradation mechanisms behind the lower-than-expected performance of early ICF implosions on the National Ignition Facility. Face-on x-ray radiography is used to measure instability growth occurring between the deuterium-tritium fuel and the plastic ablator from well-characterized perturbations. This growth starts in two ways through separate experiments—either from a preimposed interface modulation or from ablation front feedthrough. These experiments are consistent with analytic modeling and radiation-hydrodynamic simulations, which say that a moderately unstable Atwood number and convergence effects are causing in-flight perturbation growth at the interface. The analysis suggests that feedthrough from outersurface perturbations dominates the interface perturbation growth at mode 60.

  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Received 8 February 2016

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.117.075002

© 2016 American Physical Society

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Plasma Physics

Erratum

Erratum: First Measurements of Fuel-Ablator Interface Instability Growth in Inertial Confinement Fusion Implosions on the National Ignition Facility [Phys. Rev. Lett. 117, 075002 (2016)]

C. R. Weber, T. Döppner, D. T. Casey, T. L. Bunn, L. C. Carlson, R. J. Dylla-Spears, B. J. Kozioziemski, A. G. MacPhee, A. Nikroo, H. F. Robey, J. D. Sater, and V. A. Smalyuk
Phys. Rev. Lett. 117, 159902 (2016)

Authors & Affiliations

C. R. Weber1, T. Döppner1, D. T. Casey1, T. L. Bunn1, L. C. Carlson2, R. J. Dylla-Spears1, B. J. Kozioziemski1, A. G. MacPhee1, A. Nikroo1,2, H. F. Robey1, J. D. Sater1, and V. A. Smalyuk1

  • 1Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California 94550, USA
  • 2General Atomics, San Diego, California 92121, USA

Article Text (Subscription Required)

Click to Expand

References (Subscription Required)

Click to Expand
Issue

Vol. 117, Iss. 7 — 12 August 2016

Reuse & Permissions
Access Options
CHORUS

Article Available via CHORUS

Download Accepted Manuscript

Authorization Required


×
×

Images

×

Sign up to receive regular email alerts from Physical Review Letters

Log In

Cancel
×

Search


Article Lookup

Paste a citation or DOI

Enter a citation
×