Wire-array z pinches as intense x-ray sources for inertial confinement fusion

Progress in pulsed power technologies has enabled the use of z pinches for inertial confinement Fusion (ICF). Z pinches can provide x-ray powers of 20 0 TW and x-ray energies approaching 2 MJ. Computational capabilities have a dvanced to the point that 2-D radiation magneto-hydrodynamics computer code s can be used as detailed design tools. Several ICF configurations have bee n proposed. The z-pinch driven hohlraum configuration (ZPDH) uses two separ ate z pinches to provide the radiation to drive an ICF capsule. The decoupl ing of the z-pinch From the target in the ZPHD permits physics issues such as radiation production, transport, symmetry, and capsule hydrodynamics to be treated separately. The penalty is the increased energy requirement. ZPD H experiments have demonstrated the potential for acceptable capsule symmet ry and radiation transport. The dynamic hohlraum concept uses the z pinch i tself as a radiation case around the capsule providing the potential for ve ry high coupling efficiency but at the expense of complex z-pinch/target co upling physics.