REVIEW OF ICF PLASMA DIAGNOSTICS

High-performance diagnostic techniques have been developed for better understanding of the physics relevant to ignition. Newly developed X-r ay imaging of 10 ps resolution, multiple-imaging X-ray streak camera ( MIXS), has provided data of hot spark heating for the first time. Time - and space-resolved spectroscopy has also been developed to obtain th e temperature and density distribution of the compressed fuel. Fast ne utron detectors for burn history measurements and neutron time-of-flig ht spectrometers for fuel areal density and ion-temperature measuremen ts have been developed. The data supports our understanding of implosi on kinematics and mixing. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science S.A.