Cryogenic deuterium target experiments with the GEKKO XII, green laser system

A series of experiments were conducted using cryogenic deuterium targets to study fundamental physics and implosion dynamics with the GEKKO XII glass laser system [IEEE J. Quantum Electron. QE-17, 1639 (1981)]. Preheat sources were found to be due to a shock wave and hot electrons. A new method to measure the fuel ρR using proton spectra was employed. Measured in detail were the implosion dynamics of cryogenic deuterium foam with a plastic ablator and a CH shell with a controlled pressure of deuterium gas targets. Under current experimental conditions sources of nonuniformity were discussed in terms of Rayleigh–Taylor instability.