Development and characterization of a Z-pinch-driven hohlraum high-yield inertial confinement fusion target concept

Initial experiments to study the Z-pinch-driven hohlraum high-yield inertia l confinement fusion (ICF) concept of Hammer, Tabak, and Porter [Hammer , P hys. Plasmas 6, 2129 (1999)] are described. The relationship between measur ed pinch power, hohlraum temperature, and secondary hohlraum coupling ("hoh lraum energetics") is well understood from zero-dimensional semianalytic, a nd two-dimensional view factor and radiation magnetohydrodynamics models. T hese experiments have shown the highest x-ray powers coupled to any Z-pinch -driven secondary hohlraum (26 +/-5 TW), indicating the concept could scale to fusion yields of > 200 MJ. A novel, single-sided power feed, double-pin ch driven secondary that meets the pinch simultaneity requirements for pola r radiation symmetry has also been developed. This source will permit inves tigation of the pinch power balance and hohlraum geometry requirements for ICF relevant secondary radiation symmetry, leading to a capsule implosion c apability on the Z accelerator [Spielman , Phys. Plasmas 5, 2105 (1998)]. ( C) 2001 American Institute of Physics.