HIGH-PRESSURE TRITIUM FILL SYSTEM FOR THE OMEGA-UPGRADE ICF LASER

We describe a high pressure cryogenic fill station and a novel method to retrieve and transport filled inertial confinement fusion targets a t cryogenic temperatures. The fill station (currently under constructi on) will be capable of filling millimeter-size plastic spheres with DT or D-2 to pressures exceeding 150 MPa. After filling, the thin-walled targets are cooled and kept below 20 K to prevent them from bursting. After cooling the targets, a cryogenic wrench is used to open the pre ssurization cell. The fill station cryostat is designed to allow a sec ond cryostat to retrieve the filled targets. This second cold transfer cryostat features removable shrouds with seals that can be repeatably made and broken at cryogenic temperatures.