IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/nat/nature/v565y2019i7741d10.1038_s41586-019-0877-0.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Tripled yield in direct-drive laser fusion through statistical modelling

Author

Listed:
  • V. Gopalaswamy

    (University of Rochester
    University of Rochester)

  • R. Betti

    (University of Rochester
    University of Rochester
    University of Rochester)

  • J. P. Knauer

    (University of Rochester)

  • N. Luciani

    (University of Rochester
    University of Rochester
    Politecnico di Milano)

  • D. Patel

    (University of Rochester
    University of Rochester)

  • K. M. Woo

    (University of Rochester
    University of Rochester)

  • A. Bose

    (University of Rochester
    Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

  • I. V. Igumenshchev

    (University of Rochester)

  • E. M. Campbell

    (University of Rochester)

  • K. S. Anderson

    (University of Rochester)

  • K. A. Bauer

    (University of Rochester)

  • M. J. Bonino

    (University of Rochester)

  • D. Cao

    (University of Rochester)

  • A. R. Christopherson

    (University of Rochester
    University of Rochester)

  • G. W. Collins

    (University of Rochester)

  • T. J. B. Collins

    (University of Rochester)

  • J. R. Davies

    (University of Rochester)

  • J. A. Delettrez

    (University of Rochester)

  • D. H. Edgell

    (University of Rochester)

  • R. Epstein

    (University of Rochester)

  • C. J. Forrest

    (University of Rochester)

  • D. H. Froula

    (University of Rochester)

  • V. Y. Glebov

    (University of Rochester)

  • V. N. Goncharov

    (University of Rochester)

  • D. R. Harding

    (University of Rochester)

  • S. X. Hu

    (University of Rochester)

  • D. W. Jacobs-Perkins

    (University of Rochester)

  • R. T. Janezic

    (University of Rochester)

  • J. H. Kelly

    (University of Rochester)

  • O. M. Mannion

    (University of Rochester
    University of Rochester)

  • A. Maximov

    (University of Rochester
    University of Rochester)

  • F. J. Marshall

    (University of Rochester)

  • D. T. Michel

    (University of Rochester)

  • S. Miller

    (University of Rochester
    University of Rochester)

  • S. F. B. Morse

    (University of Rochester)

  • J. Palastro

    (University of Rochester)

  • J. Peebles

    (University of Rochester)

  • P. B. Radha

    (University of Rochester)

  • S. P. Regan

    (University of Rochester)

  • S. Sampat

    (University of Rochester)

  • T. C. Sangster

    (University of Rochester)

  • A. B. Sefkow

    (University of Rochester)

  • W. Seka

    (University of Rochester)

  • R. C. Shah

    (University of Rochester)

  • W. T. Shmyada

    (University of Rochester)

  • A. Shvydky

    (University of Rochester)

  • C. Stoeckl

    (University of Rochester)

  • A. A. Solodov

    (University of Rochester)

  • W. Theobald

    (University of Rochester)

  • J. D. Zuegel

    (University of Rochester)

  • M. Gatu Johnson

    (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

  • R. D. Petrasso

    (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

  • C. K. Li

    (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

  • J. A. Frenje

    (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

Abstract

Focusing laser light onto a very small target can produce the conditions for laboratory-scale nuclear fusion of hydrogen isotopes. The lack of accurate predictive models, which are essential for the design of high-performance laser-fusion experiments, is a major obstacle to achieving thermonuclear ignition. Here we report a statistical approach that was used to design and quantitatively predict the results of implosions of solid deuterium–tritium targets carried out with the 30-kilojoule OMEGA laser system, leading to tripling of the fusion yield to its highest value so far for direct-drive laser fusion. When scaled to the laser energies of the National Ignition Facility (1.9 megajoules), these targets are predicted to produce a fusion energy output of about 500 kilojoules—several times larger than the fusion yields currently achieved at that facility. This approach could guide the exploration of the vast parameter space of thermonuclear ignition conditions and enhance our understanding of laser-fusion physics.

Suggested Citation

  • V. Gopalaswamy & R. Betti & J. P. Knauer & N. Luciani & D. Patel & K. M. Woo & A. Bose & I. V. Igumenshchev & E. M. Campbell & K. S. Anderson & K. A. Bauer & M. J. Bonino & D. Cao & A. R. Christophers, 2019. "Tripled yield in direct-drive laser fusion through statistical modelling," Nature, Nature, vol. 565(7741), pages 581-586, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:565:y:2019:i:7741:d:10.1038_s41586-019-0877-0
    DOI: 10.1038/s41586-019-0877-0
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-019-0877-0
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1038/s41586-019-0877-0?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:565:y:2019:i:7741:d:10.1038_s41586-019-0877-0. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.nature.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.