A new class of inertial fusion capsules is presented that combines multishell targets with laser direct drive at low intensity ($2.8\times {10}^{14}\mathrm{W}/{\mathrm{cm}}^2$) to achieve robust ignition. The targets consist of three concentric, heavy, metal shells, enclosing a volume of tens of $\mu \mathrm{g}$ of liquid deuterium-tritium fuel. Ignition is designed to occur well “upstream” from stagnation, with minimal pusher deceleration to mitigate interface Rayleigh-Taylor growth. Laser intensities below thresholds for laser plasma instability and cross beam energy transfer facilitate high hydrodynamic efficiency ($\sim 10\%$).

• Received 19 February 2016

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.116.255003