Recent results and future prospects of laser fusion research at ILE, Osaka

Abstract
We review the present status of fast ignition research. Since 1997, the fast ignition experiment and theory have been extensively continued at the Institute of Laser Engineering of Osaka University. In particular, the cone-shell target experiments and simulation research have made progress. In order to demonstrate heating of imploded high density plasma to the ignition temperature, in the April of 2003, the construction of heating laser of 10 kJ/10 ps/1.06 m (Laser for Fusion Experiment; LFEX), for FIREX-I (Fast Ignition Realization Experiment) has started. The fabrication of DT foam cryogenic cone target is also under development as a collaboration program between Osaka University and NIFS (National Institute for Fusion Science). The LFEX will be completed in 2008. After the completion of LFEX, the foam cryogenic cone shell target experiment will start in 2008. As a new approach toward compact ignition, an impact fusion scheme has been proposed, where the ablative acceleration to the order of 10⁸ cm/sec is the key issue. The ablation acceleration related to impact fusion has been explored by experiments.