Progress of fast ignitor studies and Petawatt laser construction at Osaka University

Abstract

100 TW light from the Petawatt Module (PWM) laser illuminated a preimploded spherical deuterated polystyrene(CD) shell target. The DD neutron yield increased from 2.5×105–106. Analysis indicates that hundreds of keV deuterons, generated around the critical density, collide with cold fuel deuterons and play the leading role in the enhancement of the neutron yield. A two-dimensional particle-in-cell (2D PIC) simulation predicted well the deuteron spectrum. A 60 TW laser was used for MeV proton emissions and megagauss magnetic fields generation on the rear surface of a Poly p-xylene(C8H8) plane target. The 2D PIC simulation explained well the results. The PWM laser was upgraded to one PW, making it the world biggest Petawatt laser (PW laser). An optically parametric chirped amplification was introduced in the front end. The pulse was synchronized to the GEKKO XII imploding beams to within 10 ps.