LLE Validates Polar-Direct-Drive for Ignition on the NIF

2007:

LLE completed a study using the National Ignition Facility (NIF) in the x-ray-drive configuration for direct-drive-ignition experiments. The study focused on implementing the standard polar-direct-drive (PDD) illumination scheme, which uses judicious repointing of the NIF beams to minimize illumination perturbations that arise from the absence of equatorial beams in the x-ray-drive laser configuration. The conclusion of the study validated the polar-direct-drive concept using numerical simulations and experiments on OMEGA for ignition on the NIF.

Isodensity contours (color) and ion-temperature contours (white lines) of the implosion of a NIF wetted-foam, polar-drive-ignition target