Results from fusion-based backlighter development at the OMEGA laser

Graeme Sutcliffe

MIT

Tuesday, March 19, 2019

5:00pm

NW17-218

PSFC Student Seminars

Laser-driven implosions of D3He-filled capsules which generate mono-energetic 14.7-MeV and 3.0-MeV protons are used on the OMEGA and NIF lasers for both radiography and stopping-power studies. A new tri-particle mono-energetic backlighter based on a DT3He gas-filled capsule implosion that provides 14.7-MeV and 3.0-MeV protons plus 9.5-MeV deuterons from the T+3He reaction has now been demonstrated on OMEGA. Initial tests using 860 µm OD thin glass capsules filled with DT3He fuel were promising. Preliminary radiographs of laser-driven foils and measurements of stopping power in cold beryllium were made with the backlighted particles and the results are shown.