| Issue |
J. Phys. IV France
Volume 133, June 2006
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Page(s) | 575 - 585 | |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1051/jp4:2006133117 | |
| Published online | 16 June 2006 | |
J.-C. Gauthier, et al.
J. Phys. IV France 133 (2006) 575-585
DOI: 10.1051/jp4:2006133117
The national ignition facility performance status
C. Haynam, J. Auerbach, M. Bowers, J.-M. Di-Nicola, S. Dixit, G. Erbert, G. Heestand, M. Henesian, K. Jancaitis, K. Manes, C. Marshall, N. Mehta, M. Nostrand, C. Orth, R. Sacks, M. Shaw, S. Sutton, P. Wegner, W. Williams, C. Widmayer, R. White, S. Yang and B. Van WonterghemLawrence Livermore National Laboratory, PO Box 808, Livermore, CA 94551, USA
Abstract
The National Ignition Facility (NIF) laser has been designed to
support high energy density science (HEDS), including the
demonstration of fusion ignition through Inertial Confinement. NIF
operated a single "quad" of 4 beams from December 2002 through
October 2004 in order to gain laser operations experience, support
target experiments, and demonstrate laser performance consistent
with NIF's design requirement. During this two-year period, over 400
Main Laser shots were delivered at 1
to calorimeters for
diagnostic calibration purposes, at 3 to the Target
Chamber, and at 1, 2, and 3 to the
Precision Diagnostics System (PDS). The PDS includes its own
independent single beam transport system, NIF design frequency
conversion hardware and optics, and laser sampling optics that
deliver light to a broad range of laser diagnostics. Highlights of
NIF laser performance will be discussed including the results of
high energy 2 and 3 experiments, the use of
multiple focal spot beam conditioning techniques, the
reproducibility of laser performance on multiple shots, the
generation on a single beam of a 3 temporally shaped
ignition pulse at full energy and power, and recent results on full
bundle (8 beamline) performance. NIF's first quad laser performance
meets or exceeds NIF's design requirements.
© EDP Sciences 2006