Fast ignition of inertial fusion targets by laser-driven carbon beams

TL;DR

This paper uses simulations to compare ion beam types for fast ignition in inertial fusion, finding quasi-monoenergetic carbon ions promising due to lower ignition energies and similar laser energy needs to electrons.

Contribution

It provides a comparative analysis of proton and carbon ion beams, highlighting the advantages of quasi-monoenergetic carbon ions for efficient fast ignition.

Findings

Quasi-monoenergetic ions have better coupling with fuel.

Lower ignition energies are achievable with quasi-monoenergetic ions.

Similar laser energy requirements for carbon ions and electrons if conversion efficiency is around 10%.

Abstract

Two-dimensional simulations of ion beam driven fast ignition are presented. Ignition energies of protons with Maxwellian spectrum and carbon ions with quasimonoenergetic and Maxwellian energy distributions are evaluated. The effect of the coronal plasma surrounding the compressed deuterium-tritium is studied for three different fuel density distributions. It is found that quasi- monoenergetic ions have better coupling with the compressed deuterium-tritium and substantially lower ignition energies. Comparison of quasimonoenergetic carbon ions and relativistic electrons as ignitor beams shows similar laser energy requirements, provided that a laser to quasimonoenergetic carbon ion conversion efficiency around 10% can be achieved.