A new technique for fabricating cryogenic laser-fusion targets using cold-gas jets

Abstract

A new technique of fabricating a uniform layer of solid DT inside a glass microshell has been developed using a heater-wire–cold-gas-jets combination. A D2-filled glass microsphere was continuously cooled by two cold-helium-gas jets, and a controlled amount of current was pulsed through a heater wire surrounding the microshell. This gave rise to fast evaporation and refreezing of the D2 inside the glass shell, resulting in a uniform layer of frozen D2. This new scheme has potential application in the development of a target-fabrication system which would allow for continuous fabrication, inspection, and delivery of cryogenic laser-fusion targets.