LASER-INDUCED IMPLOSION AND THERMONUCLEAR BURN.

Abstract

Fusion yields 50 to 100 times larger than the laser energy for laser energies of 10**5 to 10**6 joules have been achieved in sophisticated computer simulation calculations. Most of the dense pellet is isentropically compressed to a high density Fermi-degenerate state, while thermonuclear burn is initiated in the central region. A thermonuclear burn front propagates radially outward from the central region heating and igniting the dense fuel. A laser fusion implosion system is described that consists of a tiny spherical pellet of deuterium-tritium surrounded by a low density atmosphere extending to several pellet radii, located in a large vacuum chamber, and a laser capable of generating an optimally shaped pulse of light energy. The atmosphere may be produced by ablating the pellet surface with a laser prepulse. Mirrors (or lenses) are used to focus the laser light on the atmosphere more or less uniformly from all sides.