Progress in the Extension of Free-Standing Target Technologies on IFE Requirements

Lebedev Physical Institute conducts a wide research and development program to supply targets for inertial fusion energy (IFE) research. Current essential results in that area include the following: (a) A free-standing target (FST) system has been created, which allows the filling, layering, characterizing, and placing of targets into a test optical chamber by injection at a rate of 0.1 Hz, (b) a special physical layout has been developed to carry out the layering experiments in a wide range of target diameters including reactor scaled ones, and (c) the reconstruction algorithms and scan system are under way to complete the FST system with a new subsystem for univalent target characterization based on microtomography. Specific issues for future IFE target technology and injection research are discussed, which include (a) adding a small doping to the fuel to form a cryogenic layer in a glassy state, (b) using large shells with a metallic layer onto the outer surface to shorten the layering time for reactor targets, (c) the cell for target motion driving application to FST technology, and (d) designing a prototypical facility for repeatable target fabrication and injection.