Cryogenic DT Target Experiments

2006:

The first direct-drive, ignition-scaled, cryogenic target containing tritium was imploded on the OMEGA laser in February 2006. The target contained 0.06% tritium by atom fraction. This implosion was the first in a series of planned experiments that led to LLE scientists imploding two fully β-layered DT capsules during the week of 27 March 2006. The tritium fraction in each capsule was 13.5%. Both capsules were layered without external IR radiation, confirming earlier estimates that a tritium fraction of ~10% would be sufficient for β-layered to occur. This is the first time that a β-layered arget was used in a laser-driven implosion.

Shadowgraph of a β-layered target containing ~35% tritium