Low density gas and foam targets for ICF long scale length plasma experiments: Fabrication & characterization

摘要

Recent ICF experiments performed by the laser-matter interaction group at Los Alamos using the Nova laser to investigate long scale length plasmas required two types of special targets: gas-filled hohlraums and free-standing low density foams, both with densities in the range of 3-5 mg/cc. The mass in each case was provided by hydrogen and carbon - in the form of polymethylpentyene for the foam case and 2.2-dimethylpropane (i.e., neopentane, C(sub 5)H(sub 12)) at 1 atmosphere for the gas case. Dopants of Cl, Ti, Cr and Mn were added to the foams, while Ti and Cr coated carbon fibers were added to the hohlraums - both for isoelectronic x-ray spectroscopic temperature measurements.