Condensation of hydrogen isotopes in laser fusion targets

Abstract

In the development of laser fusion targets, glass microballoons (∼100 μm diam) containing D2, T2, or DT were cooled through four types of heat transfer: radiation, solid conduction, exchange gas, and a cold He stream. Observations of condensate temperature of formation, volume, and distribution roughly agreed with calculations. A thermal gradient set up by the cold He stream from above was useful in counteracting gravity, and the resulting condensate formed a fairly uniform spherical shell, the desired form for the fuel.