Compression of Polymer-Coated Laser-Fusion Targets to Ten Times Liquid DT Density

Polymer-coated glass microspheres filled with DT fuel and argon seed gas were irradiated with the SHIVA 1.06-μm laser using 4-kJ, 200-ps (full width at half maximum), Gaussian pulses. Measured light absorption, x-ray spectrum, neutron yields, and x-ray continuum images compared favorably with detailed computer simulations. Pusher neutron activation and argon line imaging diagnostics were utilized to measure fuel density. Fuel densities of 1-3 g/${\mathrm{cm}}^3$ or 5-15 times liquid DT density were inferred.