Publications Details

Diagnosing magnetized liner inertial fusion experiments on Z

Hansen, Stephanie B.; Gomez, Matthew R.; Sefkow, Adam B.; Slutz, Stephen A.; Hahn, Kelly D.; Knapp, Patrick K.; Schmit, Paul S.; Awe, Thomas J.; Sinars, Daniel S.; Harding, Eric H.; Jennings, Christopher A.; Geissel, Matthias G.; Rovang, Dean C.; Chandler, Gordon A.; Cooper, Gary W.; Cuneo, M.E.; Harvey-Thompson, Adam J.; Herrmann, M.C.; Hess, Mark H.; Johns, Owen J.; Lamppa, Derek C.; Martin, Matthew; McBride, Ryan D.; Schroen, D.G.; Tomlinson, K.; Ryutov, D.

Magnetized Liner Inertial Fusion experiments performed at Sandia's Z facility have demonstrated significant thermonuclear fusion neutron yields (∼10¹² DD neutrons) from multi-keV deuterium plasmas inertially confined by slow (∼10 cm/μs), stable, cylindrical implosions. Effective magnetic confinement of charged fusion reactants and products is signaled by high secondary DT neutron yields above 10¹⁰. Analysis of extensive power, imaging, and spectroscopic x-ray measurements provides a detailed picture of ∼3 keV temperatures, 0.3 g/cm³ densities, gradients, and mix in the fuel and liner over the 1-2 ns stagnation duration.