Experimental progress of inertial confinement fusion based at the ShenGuang-III laser facility in China

Abstract

The ShenGuang-III (SG-III) laser facility was developed by the laser fusion research center (LFRC) for inertial confinement fusion (ICF) studies in China. Over 80 diagnostics have been installed at the SG-III laser facility, including optical diagnostics, x-ray imaging diagnostics, x-ray spectrum diagnostics, fusion product diagnostics and general diagnostics assistant systems, as well as central control and data acquisition systems. Various ICF experiments have also been performed at the SG-III laser facility. The first experiment explored the laser-target coupling process, including investigations of hohlraum radiation flux and laser energy coupling efficiency. The second experiment explored ablation and implosion physics, including shell asymmetry and implosion trajectory. The third experiment explored stagnation, hotspot dynamics and the nuclear phase of the implosion.