Driver at 10 MJ and 1 shot/30min for inertial confinement fusion at high gain: efficient, compact, low-cost, low laser-plasma instabilities, beam-color selectable from 2 omega/3 omega/4 omega, applicable to multiple laser fusion schemes

TL;DR

This paper proposes a conceptual design for a next-generation laser driver for inertial confinement fusion, emphasizing high efficiency, low cost, and suitability for achieving high target gain with multiple fusion schemes.

Contribution

It introduces a 10 MJ, 2-3 PW laser driver design that is compact, cost-effective, and capable of high gain fusion, addressing limitations of current facilities like NIF.

Findings

Design achieves target gain G > 30

Reduces laser-plasma instabilities

Compatible with multiple laser fusion schemes

Abstract

The ignition at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) set off a global wave of research on the inertial fusion energy (IFE). However, IFE requires a necessary target gain G of 30-100, while it is hard to achieve the fusions at such high gain with the energy, configuration, and technical route of the NIF. We will present a conceptual design for the next generation laser driver of 10 MJ, 2~3 PW at the laser wavelength of 0.353 micrometer (or 0.353 micrometer, then the energy and power can be higher), and 1 shot per 30 minutes, which is efficient, compact, low-cost, low laser-plasma instabilities, applicable to multiple laser fusion schemes, and aiming for G > 30.