Two New Charged-Particle Diagnostics for Laser-Fusion Experiments

Abstract

Illuminating a gas-filled spherical shell pellet by a high power laser is now a conventional laser-fusion experiment. During laser energy deposition, the target material can be conveniently divided into three regions — the outer corona, consisting of a hot plasma; the tamper, which is the relatively cool remainder of the shell; and the fuel gas at the interior. The fusion burn reaction is most efficient if the fuel can be compressed to a very high density before appreciable heating has occurred. A number of experiments have demonstrated that compression and heating do occur, and that neutrons are generated by the fusion reaction¹, but many questions remain about the exact nature of the energy transfer process from the laser to the fuel.

Presented at the Fourth Workshop on “Laser Interaction and Related Plasma Phenomena” held at RPI, Troy, New York, November 8–12, 1976.