Novette facility: activation and experimental results

Abstract

From the neodymium glass laser system Novette with two beams of 74 cm diameter and 18 kJ energy per pulse output in the nanosecond range, the design, the steps of the construction, and results of the system are reported. The two beams are synchronized to 5 psec and conversion to green light up to 78% has been realized. Conversion to four times the laser frequency is measured with more than 25% conversion. Simulation and measurement of laser beam properties at several locations permit an analysis to define the final Nova configuration. About half of Novette's experiments were to study short wave length laser–plasma interactions for the then better coupling by inverse bremsstrahlung mechanisms for inertial confinement fusion with laser intensities up to 1017W/cm2. Experiments were divided between high density implosion research and non-local thermodynamic equilibrium plasma conditions.

Activation and damage of fusion materials and tritium effects in inertial fusion reactors: Strategy for adequate irradiation

“…The activation problem as well as the associated tritium problem is the focus of discussion for many years at very different reactor concepts~Velarde & Perlado, 2002;Tahir & Hoffmann, 1997;Perlado & Sanz, 1993;Beller et al, 1993!. Also, heavy ion drivers have to deal with activation problems due to beam losses~Mustafin et al, 2002;Fertman et al, 2002!. Certainly activation was extensively used as a good and efficient diagnosis of core performance in target implosioñ Azechi et al, 1991a, 1991b!, andappear in the routine activities of experimental inertial confinement facilities Manes et al, 1985;Andre et al, 1994!. In the field of computational modeling for safety and environmental~S&E! analysis, our main contribution refers to the computational system ACAB~Sanz, 2000!…”