E Hume, G Cristoforetti, P Koester, LA Gizzi

SPIE proceedings, Research Using Extreme Light Infrastructures: New Frontiers with Petawatt-Level Lasers VI

Abstract

Inertial confinement fusion (ICF) employs high power lasers to rapidly compress and heat a pellet of fuel to nuclear fusion conditions in an effort to generate energy. ICF is now receiving great enthusiasm and interest after the demonstration of ignition and energy gain at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) in 2022. Attention is turning towards how to transform this scientific feat into a viable approach for inertial fusion energy (IFE) production. This includes a focus on different ICF schemes such as direct drive and shock ignition, where the high power lasers interact directly with the plasma corona around the imploding fuel pellet. However, physics issues with the laser-plasma interaction (LPI) prevail and remain to be resolved such as the growth of parametric instabilities that hinder the efficacy of the implosion. Due to the non-linear growth of the instabilities with laser intensity, these are of particular importance to shock ignition, where the higher intensity of the laser pulses are expected to boost them to huge levels. Here, we discuss an overview of the current status of laser interaction studies relevant to advanced direct drive inertial confinement fusion schemes. An introduction to the concept of broadband pulses as an approach to parametric instability mitigation is given. We also discuss some perspectives and requirements on laser technology and optic considerations needed to advance laser-plasma interaction studies and ultimately contribute to the requirements and design of next-generation lasers and facilities for inertial fusion energy (IFE).