X-Ray and Debris Emission from Direct and Indirect National Ignition Facility Targets

The emission of x rays and debris ions by the National Ignition Facility direct and indirect targets are. compared in this paper. In the indirect drive targets, the fuel capsule is surrounded by a gold case, which filters out all but the hardest x rays from the capsule and collides with the capsule debris, generating large amounts of colder x rays that leave the target through laser entrance holes. The direct drive targets have no such case, so the debris and x rays from the capsule are un-obscured. Computer simulations of both targets demonstrate these differences.