Tuning the implosion symmetry of ICF targets via controlled crossed-beam energy transfer

Phys Rev Lett. 2009 Jan 16;102(2):025004. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.102.025004. Epub 2009 Jan 14.

Abstract

Radiative hydrodynamics simulations of ignition experiments show that energy transfer between crossing laser beams allows tuning of the implosion symmetry. A new full-scale, three-dimensional quantitative model has been developed for crossed-beam energy transfer, allowing calculations of the propagation and coupling of multiple laser beams and their associated plasma waves in ignition hohlraums. This model has been implemented in a radiative-hydrodynamics code, demonstrating control of the implosion symmetry by a wavelength separation between cones of laser beams.