Use of d-3He proton spectroscopy as a diagnostic of shell rho r in capsule implosion experiments with approximately 0.2 NIF scale high temperature Hohlraums at Omega.

We present the calculations and preliminary results from experiments on the Omega laser facility using d-(3)He filled plastic capsule implosions in gold Hohlraums. These experiments aim to develop a technique to measure shell rho r and capsule unablated mass with proton spectroscopy and will be applied to future National Ignition Facility (NIF) experiments with ignition scale capsules. The Omega Hohlraums are 1900 microm length x 1200 microm diameter and have a 70% laser entrance hole. This is approximately a 0.2 NIF scale ignition Hohlraum and reaches temperatures of 265-275 eV similar to those during the peak of the NIF drive. These capsules can be used as a diagnostic of shell rho r, since the d-(3)He gas fill produces 14.7 MeV protons in the implosion, which escape through the shell and produce a proton spectrum that depends on the integrated rho r of the remaining shell mass. The neutron yield, proton yield, and spectra change with capsule shell thickness as the unablated mass or remaining capsule rho r changes. Proton stopping models are used to infer shell unablated mass and shell rho r from the proton spectra measured with different filter thicknesses. The experiment is well modeled with respect to Hohlraum energetics, neutron yields, and x-ray imploded core image size, but there are discrepancies between the observed and simulated proton spectra.

TRIDENT high-energy-density facility experimental capabilities and diagnostics.

The newly upgraded TRIDENT high-energy-density (HED) facility provides high-energy short-pulse laser-matter interactions with powers in excess of 200 TW and energies greater than 120 J. In addition, TRIDENT retains two long-pulse (nanoseconds to microseconds) beams that are available for simultaneous use in either the same experiment or a separate one. The facility's flexibility is enhanced by the presence of two separate target chambers with a third undergoing commissioning. This capability allows the experimental configuration to be optimized by choosing the chamber with the most advantageous geometry and features. The TRIDENT facility also provides a wide range of standard instruments including optical, x-ray, and particle diagnostics. In addition, one chamber has a 10 in. manipulator allowing OMEGA and National Ignition Facility (NIF) diagnostics to be prototyped and calibrated.