What is it about?
Inertial confinement fusion (ICF) experiments use lasers to compress a fuel capsule and initiate nuclear fusion; however, a self-sustained fusion regime has still to be demonstrated. As imperfections in the capsule (such as pores) are one of the main causes that limit ICF performances, we have developed a sample fabrication procedure that allows to study the behavior of a single void within a sample during laser-driven compression.
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Why is it important?
Our fabrication procedure allows to study the behavior of a single void within the sample. The study of this simplified model system will bring new and quantitative information that are essential for the interpretation of ICF fusion data. Understanding the principles behind the performances of more complex and realistic material will help developing new and more efficient capsule materials for nuclear energy applications.
Perspectives
This article suggests a new way to get a precise and detailed understanding of phenomena that take place at very extreme conditions, for which we often rely on simulations. We hope it will provide a reliable benchmark to drive both experimental and theoretical developments, taking a step further towards nuclear fusion as a clean and limitless source of energy.
Silvia Pandolfi
SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Novel fabrication tools for dynamic compression targets with engineered voids using photolithography methods, Review of Scientific Instruments, October 2022, American Institute of Physics,
DOI: 10.1063/5.0107542.
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