CRYOGENIC FUEL TARGETS FOR INERTIAL FUSION: OPTIMIZATION OF FABRICATION AND DELIVERY CONDITIONS

The paper addresses the main problems associated with the fabrication of cryogenic fuel targets and their delivery to the irradiation zone of an inertial confinement fusion (ICF) facility. Optimal solutions of these problems have been developed at the Lebedev Physical Institute for the case of free-standing direct-irradiation cryogenic targets. In contrast to the traditional technology, the approach proposed and demonstrated is shown to conform to all requirements of the current ICF program: (a) quality of fuel layering, (b) stability of layering, and (c) minimization of tritium inventory. This technology is the basis for a designed device of introducing cryogenic targets into the chamber of an ISKRA-6 high-power laser facility being developed in Russia.