Design of a distributed radiator target for inertial fusion driven from two sides with heavy ion beams

A distributed-radiator heavy ion target design is described. In two dimensional LASNEX (G.B. Zimmerman, W.B. Kruer, Comments Plasma Phys. Control. Fusion 2 (1975) 83) calculations that integrate the physics of ion beam deposition and hohlraum dynamics, including radiation and material flow, with the implosion and thermonuclear burn of an inertial confinement fusion (ICF) capsule, the capsule ignited and produced 430 MJ of yield when driven with 6.5 MJ of 3 to 4 GeV lead ions. The target has cylindrical symmetry with disc endplates of 5 mm radius. The ions uniformly illuminate these endplates from two sides. The considerations that led to this design, together with some previously unused design features, are discussed: low density hohlraum walls in approximate pressure balance with internal low-Z fill materials, radiation symmetry determined by the position of the radiator materials and particle ranges, and early time pressure symmetry, possibly influenced by radiation shims.