Theory of Fast Electron Transport for Fast Ignition

Abstract

Fast Ignition Inertial Confinement Fusion is a variant of inertial fusion in which DT fuel is first compressed to high density and then ignited by a relativistic electron beam generated by a fast (< 20 ps) ultra-intense laser pulse, which is usually brought in to the dense plasma via the inclusion of a re-entrant cone. The transport of this beam from the cone apex into the dense fuel is a critical part of this scheme, as it can strongly influence the overall energetics. Here we review progress in the theory and numerical simulation of fast electron transport in the context of Fast Ignition. Important aspects of the basic plasma physics, descriptions of the numerical methods used, a review of ignition-scale simulations, and a survey of schemes for controlling the propagation of fast electrons are included. Considerable progress has taken place in this area, but the development of a robust, high-gain FI `point design' is still an ongoing challenge.

78 pages, 27 figures, review article submitted to Nuclear Fusion

References in corpus (10)

• Weibel-instability-mediated collisionless shocks in laboratory with ultraintense lasers
• Fast-ignition design transport studies: realistic electron source, integrated PIC-hydrodynamics, imposed magnetic fields
• Exact relativistic kinetic theory of an electron beam-plasma system: hierarchy of the competing modes in the system parameter space
• Saturation mechanism of the Weibel instability in weakly magnetized plasmas
• Fast ignition of fusion targets by laser-driven electrons
• Molecular Dynamics Simulations of Temperature Equilibration in Dense Hydrogen
• Three-dimensional fast electron transport for ignition-scale inertial fusion capsules
• On collisions driven negative energy waves and Weibel instability of a relativistic electron beam in a quasi-neutral plasma
• A global simulation for laser driven MeV electrons in $50\mu m$-diameter fast ignition targets
• Three dimensional filamentary structures of a relativistic electron beam in Fast Ignition plasmas

Cited by in corpus (19)

• Magnetic field generation in plasma waves driven by co-propagating intense twisted lasers
• Laser-plasma interactions for fast ignition
• Petawatt laser absorption bounded
• Probing Ultrafast Magnetic-Field Generation by Current Filamentation Instability in Femtosecond Relativistic Laser-Matter Interactions
• Weibel instability-mediated collisionless shocks in laser-irradiated dense plasmas:Prevailing role of the electrons in the turbulence generation
• Ion beam requirements for fast ignition of inertial fusion targets
• Imposed Magnetic Field and Hot Electron Propagation in Inertial Fusion Hohlraums
• Fast ignition driven by quasi-monoenergetic ions: Optimal ion type and reduction of ignition energies with an ion beam array
• Stability analysis of a periodic system of relativistic current filaments
• Ion beam bunching via phase rotation in cascading laser-driven ion acceleration
• Enhanced relativistic-electron beam collimation using two consecutive laser pulses
• Efficient generation of axial magnetic field by multiple laser beams with twisted pointing directions
• Electron residual energy due to stochastic heating in field-ionized plasma
• Branching of high-current relativistic electron beam in porous materials
• Magnetic field amplification in a laser-irradiated thin foil by return current electrons carrying orbital angular momentum
• Strong surface magnetic field generation in relativistic short pulse laser-plasma interaction with an applied seed magnetic field
• Fast collisional electron heating and relaxation in thin foils driven by a circularly polarized ultraintense short-pulse laser
• Guiding of relativistic electron beams in dense matter by longitudinally imposed strong magnetic fields
• Stopping Power Enhancement From Discrete Particle-Wake Correlations in High Energy Density Plasmas