An Integrated Approach to a High-Volume Cryogenic Target Supply for Cyclic Irradiation with a High-Power Laser

Abstract

Fabrication and injection of the cryogenic fuel targets under high repetition rate (HRR) conditions are a necessary requirement for fueling an inertial fusion energy (IFE) reactor. At the Lebedev Physical Institute (LPI), research has begun in the area of a conceptual scheme development for the integration of all functional processes of in-line production of cryogenic targets and their noncontact delivery for laser beam irradiation. This work is based on the free-standing target (FST) production cycle that includes (1) rapid fuel layering (<30 s) in free-standing and line-moving shells, which ensures mass target production and tritium inventory reduction in the system [1, 2]; (2) magnetic levitation (MAGLEV) technologies for acceleration of targets without mechanical friction and their subsequent injection at the laser focus of the IFE facility [3]; and (3) holographic pattern recognition methods for on-line tracking of the injected targets [4]. The paper discusses the developed element base, which allows one to integrate several FST-production lines into a single system, providing cyclic target irradiation for the purpose of the mass supply of fuel for experiments on existing laser facilities, as well as for future IFE reactors.