Improving symmetry tuning with I-raum in indirect-driven implosions

Abstract

Indirectly driven inertial confinement fusion implosions using a three-step-shaped pulse are performed at a 100 kJ laser facility. At late time of the pulse, deposition of laser energy and distribution of X-ray radiation are significantly disturbed by motion of gold plasma in the original gas-filled cylindrical hohlraum with gold wall. As a result, owing to the lack of X-ray drive at the equator of the capsule, an unacceptable oblate implosion is produced. In the I-raum modified from the above cylindrical hohlraum, the initial positions of outer laser spots and gold bubbles are appropriately shifted to modify the disturbed radiation distribution due to plasma evolution, resulting in a spherically symmetric drive on the capsule. In the implosion shots with almost the same drive pulse, owing to improved symmetry, an spherical hotspot is observed in the new I-raum, and YOS (the ratio of measured neutron yield over simulated one) is up to 30%, while an oblate hotspot is observed in the cylinder, and YOS is only 13%. The simulation calculations and experimental measurements show that the I-raum can be used to significantly reduce the impact of gold bubble expansion in the three-step-shaped pulse driven implosion, which helps to tune the drive and implosion symmetry, and to improve its over-all performance.