A two-sided Z-pinch driven-hohlraum for improved ICF radiation symmetry

Summary form only given. The Z-pinch driven hohlraum (ZPDH) has shown great promise for indirect-drive ICF. In this concept, a Z-pinch radiation source resides in one or two primary hohlraums. Radiation is coupled from the primaries into a secondary hohlraum through a transparent Be-spoke electrode. Experiments at Sandia on the Z accelerator have characterized the hohlraum energetics, the radiation coupling efficiency to the secondary, and the radiation drive symmetry in the secondary, for single- and two-sided configurations. We have demonstrated energetics and coupling efficiencies that are adequate to scale the system to ignition and high-yield. We have recently developed a two-sided, or "double-pinch" secondary illumination capability to study radiation symmetry control for the ZPDH [3]. In this geometry, one Z-pinch-driven primary is located above, and another below a high-yield size (>4500 mm/sup 3/) ICF secondary. These two pinches are fed from a single current feed for compatibility with Z.