Development of polystyrenemicroshells doped with ultrafine metal particles as radiation-preheatedICF targets using optimized multiple emulsion technique

Abstract

Growth rates of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability, in direct driveinertial confinement fusion targets, can be reduced using aradiation-preheated polymer ablator. Polystyrene microshells doped withultrafine metal particles (200-300 Å) are fabricated using themultiple emulsion technique, which can serve as the outer layer forradiation-preheated target. Preliminary results show that microshells ofapproximately 200-1500 µm can be produced with various wallthicknesses. Further optimization of the process is in progress toproduce very thin (wall thickness ~1 µm) microshells withultrasmooth surface finish (~15 nm).