Inertially Confined Fusion Experiments Using 3D-Printed Spherical Capsules

The goal of the LANL's Bosque experimental campaign is to investigate the effects of heterogeneous mix on thermonuclear burn, as well as to explore the capabilities of 3D printed capsules. The experimental campaign was set up such that 2PP (two photon polymerization) lattices were 3D printed inside inertial confinement fusion (ICF) capsules which are filled with either H2 gas with carbon-deuterium-oxygen (CDO) lattices or D2 gas with carbon-hydrogen-oxygen (CHO) lattices, and then compared in OMEGA implosion shots in order to see the effects and extent of heterogeneous mixing on thermonuclear burn and yield as compared to numerical simulations, which assume complete atomic mixing. While the observed yields are agreeable to simulations in the case of the introduction of D2 gas to a capsule with CHO lattices, the reduction of yields compared with simulations for the introduction of H2 gas with CDO lattices shows the possible inadequacy of the assumption of thermal equilibrium between CDO lattices and H2 gas. From this experimental campaign, predictive capabilities on the effects of atomic mix will and have been improved for both future experiments as well as predictive radio-hydrodynamic modelling in general.