Demonstration of Enhanced Radiation Drive in Hohlraums Made from a Mixture of High-$Z$ Wall Materials

Demonstration of Enhanced Radiation Drive in Hohlraums Made from a Mixture of High- $Z$ Wall Materials

Jochen Schein, Ogden Jones, Mordecai Rosen, Eduard Dewald, Siegfried Glenzer, Janelle Gunther, Bruce Hammel, Otto Landen, Laurence Suter, and Russell Wallace

Phys. Rev. Lett. 98, 175003 – Published 27 April 2007

Abstract

We present results from experiments, numerical simulations and analytic modeling, demonstrating enhanced hohlraum performance. Care in the fabrication and handling of hohlraums with walls consisting of high- $Z$ mixtures (cocktails) has led to our demonstration, for the first time, of a significant increase in radiation temperature compared to a pure Au hohlraum that is in agreement with predictions and is ascribable to reduced wall losses. The data suggest that a National Ignition Facility ignition hohlraum made of a U:Au:Dy cocktail should have $\sim 17 %$ reduction in wall losses compared to a similar gold hohlraum.