Tim Collins

Tim Collins received his bachelor’s degree in Physics from Oberlin College in 1990. He earned his MA (1992) and Ph.D. (1997) at the University of Rochester. His thesis was supervised by Professors Hugh M. Van Horn and H. Lawrence Helfer, on the topic of accretion disks surrounding white-dwarf stars in cataclysmic variable (CV) binary star systems. In addition to work on CV’s, his research has included investigation of neutron star oscillations, supernova 1987A, equation-of-state modeling for inertial confinement fusion (ICF), shock propagation in DT-saturated foams, beam-smoothing requirements for ICF, MJ-class ICF target design for laser-direct drive, and fast-electron preheat. His work currently focuses on OMEGA experiments, particularly signatures of mix in cryogenic implosions backlit with OMEGA EP, and planar mix experiments (warm and cryogenic). He serves as the Project Leader for DRACO, the University of Rochester’s 2-D arbitrary Lagrangian– Eulerian radiation–hydrodynamics simulation code.

Recent papers include:

• “Determining Acceptable Limits of Fast-Electron Preheat in Direct-Drive Ignition-Scale Target Designs,” J. A. Delettrez, T. J. B. Collins, and C. Ye, Phys. Plasmas 26, 062705 (2019); https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5089890
• “Mitigation of Cross-Beam Energy Transfer in Ignition-Scale Polar-Direct-Drive Target Designs for the National Ignition Facility,” T. J. B. Collins and J. A. Marozas, Phys. Plasmas 25, 072706 (2018); https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5039513
• “Design Options for Polar-Direct-Drive Targets from Alpha Heating to Ignition,” T. J. B. Collins, J. A. Marozas, S. Skupsky, D. Cao, P. W. McKenty, J. A. Delettrez, and G. Moses, J. Physics: Conf. Ser. 717, 012012 (2016); https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/717/1/012012
• “Study of Rayleigh–Taylor Growth in Laser Irradiated Planar SiO₂ Targets at Ignition-Relevant Conditions,” J. D. Hager, T. J. B. Collins, V. A. Smalyuk, J. P. Knauer, D. D. Meyerhofer, and T. C. Sangster, Phys. Plasmas 20, 072707 (2013); https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4816032
• “A Polar-Drive–Ignition Design for the National Ignition Facility,” T. J. B. Collins, J. A. Marozas, K. S. Anderson, R. Betti, R. S. Craxton, J. A. Delettrez, V. N. Goncharov, D. R. Harding, F. J. Marshall, R. L. McCrory, D. D. Meyerhofer, P. W. McKenty, P. B. Radha, A. Shvydky, S. Skupsky, and J. D. Zuegel, Phys. Plasmas 19, 056308 (2012); https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3693969

A list of Dr. Collins’ publications may be found here.