Megajoule-Class Single-Pulse KrF Laser Test Facility as a Logical Step Toward Inertial Fusion Commercialization
Fusion Science and Technology / Volume 8 / Number 1P2B / July 1985 / Pages 1868-1871
Inertial Confinement Fusion Reactor / Proceedings of the Sixth Topical Meeting on the Technology of Fusion Energy (San Francisco, California, March 3-7, 1985) / dx.doi.org/10.13182/FST85-A40033
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The cost and efficiency of megajoule-class KrF laser single pulse test facilities have been examined. A baseline design is described which illuminates targets with 5 MJ with shaped 10-ns pulses. The system uses 24 main amplifiers and operates with an optics operating fluence of 4.0 J/cm2. This system has 9.0% efficiency and costs $200/joule. Tradeoff studies indicate that large amplifier modules and high fluences lead to the lowest laser system costs, but that only a 20% cost savings can be realized by going to amplifier modules larger than 200 kJ and/or fluences greater than 4 J/cm2. The role of the megajoule-class single-pulse test facility towards inertial fusion commercialization will also be discussed.
