Fast ignition of inertial fusion targets by laser-driven carbon beams
Abstract
Two-dimensional simulations of ion beam driven fast ignition are presented. Ignition energies of protons with Maxwellian spectrum and carbon ions with quasimonoenergetic and Maxwellian energy distributions are evaluated. The effect of the coronal plasma surrounding the compressed deuterium-tritium is studied for three different fuel density distributions. It is found that quasimonoenergetic ions have better coupling with the compressed deuterium-tritium and substantially lower ignition energies. Comparison of quasimonoenergetic carbon ions and relativistic electrons as ignitor beams shows similar laser energy requirements, provided that a laser to quasimonoenergetic carbon ion conversion efficiency around 10% can be achieved.
- Publication:
-
Physics of Plasmas
- Pub Date:
- October 2009
- DOI:
- 10.1063/1.3234248
- arXiv:
- arXiv:0909.0342
- Bibcode:
- 2009PhPl...16j2701H
- Keywords:
-
- corona;
- laser fusion;
- Maxwell equations;
- plasma simulation;
- plasma-beam interactions;
- 52.38.Kd;
- 52.65.Ww;
- 52.57.Kk;
- Laser-plasma acceleration of electrons and ions;
- Hybrid methods;
- Fast ignition of compressed fusion fuels;
- Physics - Plasma Physics
- E-Print:
- 8 pages, 10 figures, published in Physics of Plasmas