M. S. Rubery
A5010495628- Laser-Plasma Interactions and Diagnostics
- Nuclear Physics and Applications
- Radiation Detection and Scintillator Technologies
- Laser-induced spectroscopy and plasma
- High-pressure geophysics and materials
- Cold Fusion and Nuclear Reactions
- Nuclear reactor physics and engineering
- Radioactive contamination and transfer
- Laser Design and Applications
- Atomic and Molecular Physics
- Fusion materials and technologies
- Laser-Matter Interactions and Applications
- Atomic and Subatomic Physics Research
- Magnetic confinement fusion research
- Ion-surface interactions and analysis
- Nuclear physics research studies
- X-ray Spectroscopy and Fluorescence Analysis
- Combustion and Detonation Processes
- Radiation Therapy and Dosimetry
- Superconducting Materials and Applications
- Astro and Planetary Science
- Particle Detector Development and Performance
- Calibration and Measurement Techniques
- Nuclear Materials and Properties
- Radioactive Decay and Measurement Techniques
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
2016-2025
Lawrence Livermore National Security
2024
Atomic Weapons Establishment
2014-2023
Los Alamos National Laboratory
2012-2023
General Atomics (United States)
2017-2022
École Polytechnique
2021
Diamond Materials (Germany)
2020-2021
University of Rochester
2017-2019
Energetics (United States)
2017-2019
Photek (United Kingdom)
2013-2018
An inertial fusion implosion on the National Ignition Facility, conducted August 8, 2021 (N210808), recently produced more than a megajoule of yield and passed Lawson's criterion for ignition [Phys. Rev. Lett. 129, 075001 (2022)]. We describe experimental improvements that enabled N210808 present first measurements from an igniting plasma in laboratory. metrics like product hot-spot energy pressure squared, absence self-heating, increased by ∼35%, leading to record values enhancement...
We present the design of first igniting fusion plasma in laboratory by Lawson's criterion that produced 1.37 MJ energy, Hybrid-E experiment N210808 (August 8, 2021) [Phys. Rev. Lett. 129, 075001 (2022)10.1103/PhysRevLett.129.075001]. This uses indirect drive inertial confinement approach to heat and compress a central "hot spot" deuterium-tritium (DT) fuel using surrounding dense DT piston. Ignition occurs when heating from absorption α particles created process overcomes loss mechanisms...
In this work we present the design of first controlled fusion laboratory experiment to reach target gain G>1 N221204 (5 December 2022) [Phys. Rev. Lett. 132, 065102 (2024)], performed at National Ignition Facility, where energy produced (3.15 MJ) exceeded amount laser required drive (2.05 MJ). Following demonstration ignition according Lawson criterion N210808, experiments were impacted by nonideal experimental fielding conditions, such as increased (known) defects that seeded hydrodynamic...
An indirect-drive inertial fusion experiment on the National Ignition Facility was driven using 2.05 MJ of laser light at a wavelength 351 nm and produced 3.1±0.16 total yield, producing target gain G=1.5±0.1 exceeding unity for first time in laboratory [Phys. Rev. E 109, 025204 (2024)10.1103/PhysRevE.109.025204]. Herein we describe experimental evidence increased drive capsule additional energy control over known degradation mechanisms, which are critical to achieving high performance....
As fusion experiments at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) approach and exceed breakeven, energy from burning capsule is predicted to couple gold walls reheat hohlraum. On December 5, 2022, experiment N221204 exceeded target historically achieving 3.15 MJ of 2.05 laser drive; for first time, igniting reheated hohlraum beyond peak laser-driven radiation temperature 313 eV a 350 eV, in less than half nanosecond. This reheating effect has now been unambiguously observed by two independent...
HYBRID-E is an inertial confinement fusion implosion design that increases energy coupled to the hot spot by increasing capsule scale in cylindrical hohlraums while operating within current experimental limits of National Ignition Facility. reduces hohlraum at a fixed size compared previous HYBRID designs, thereby efficiency and capsule, uses cross-beam transfer (CBET) control symmetry inner (23° 30°) outer (44° 50°) laser beams different wavelengths (Δλ> 0). Small case ratio designs...
Recent indirect drive inertial confinement fusion implosions on the National Ignition Facility (NIF) [Spaeth et al., Fusion Sci. Technol. 69, 25 (2016)] have crossed threshold of ignition. However, performance has been variable due to several factors. One leading sources variability is quality high-density carbon (HDC) shells used as ablators in these experiments. In particular, can a number defects that found correlate with appearance ablator mix into hot spot and degradation nuclear yield....
The gamma reaction history (GRH) diagnostic is a multichannel, time-resolved, energy-thresholded γ-ray spectrometer that provides high-bandwidth, direct-measurement of fusion in inertial confinement implosion experiments. 16.75 MeV deuterium+tritium (DT) γ-rays, with branching ratio the order 10(-5)γ/(14 n), are detected to determine fundamental burn parameters, such as nuclear bang time and width, critical achieving ignition at National Ignition Facility. During tritium/hydrogen/deuterium...
Mix of high-Z material from the capsule into fuel can severely degrade performance inertial fusion implosions. On Hybrid B campaign, testing largest high-density-carbon capsules yet fielded at National Ignition Facility, several shots show signatures high levels hot-spot mix. We attribute a ∼40% yield degradation on these to mix, comparable level large P2 asymmetries observed some shots. A range instability growth factors and diamond crystallinity were tested they do not determine mix for...
A decades-long quest to achieve fusion energy target gain and ignition in a controlled laboratory experiment, dating back 1962, has been realized at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) on December 5, 2022 [Abu-Shawareb et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 132, 065102 (2024)] where an imploded pellet of deuterium tritium (DT) fuel generated more (3.15 MJ) than laser incident (2.05 MJ). In these experiments, beams inside cylindrical can (Hohlraum) generate intense ∼3 × 106 million degree x-ray radiation...
The Orion laser facility at the atomic weapons establishment (AWE) in UK has been operational since April 2013, fielding experiments that require both its long and short pulse capability. This paper provides a full description of terms performance, target systems diagnostics currently available. Inevitably, this is snapshot current capability—the available capability are evolving continuously. consist ten beams, optimised around 1 ns duration, which each provide nominal 500 J wavelength 351...
We present measurements of ice-ablator mix at stagnation inertially confined, cryogenically layered capsule implosions. An ice layer thickness scan with layers significantly thinner than used in ignition experiments enables us to investigate near the inner ablator interface. Our reveal for first time that majority atomically mixed material is ``dark'' mix. It seeded by interface instability and located relatively cooler, denser region fuel assembly surrounding fusion hot spot. The amount...
The Particle Time of Flight (PTOF) diagnostic is a chemical vapor deposition diamond-based detector and the only for measuring nuclear bang times low yield (<1013) shots on National Ignition Facility. Recently, comprehensive study impulse responses revealed certain detectors with very fast consistent rise time <50 ps, enabling burn history measurements. At current standoff 50 cm, this measurement possible 14 MeV neutrons from deuterium–tritium (DT) fusion plasmas. PTOF-inferred...
This study investigated discrepancies between measured and simulated x-ray drive in Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) hohlraums at the National Ignition Facility (NIF). Despite advances radiation-hydrodynamic simulations, a consistent "drive deficit" remains. Experimentally ICF capsule bang-times are systematically 400-700 ps later than simulations predict. The Build-A-Hohlraum (BAH) campaign explored potential causes for this discrepancy by varying hohlraum features, including laser...
Glass capsules were imploded in direct drive on the OMEGA laser [Boehly et al., Opt. Commun. 133, 495 (1997)] to look for anomalous degradation deuterium/tritium (DT) yield and changes reaction history with H3e addition. Such anomalies have previously been reported D/H3e plasmas but had not yet investigated DT/H3e. Anomalies such as these provide fertile ground furthering our physics understanding of inertial confinement fusion implosions capsule performance. Anomalous compression component...
A new deuterium-tritium (D-T) fusion gamma-to-neutron branching ratio [3H(d,γ)5He/3H(d,n)4He] value of (4.2 ± 2.0) × 10−5 was recently reported by this group [Y. Kim et al. Phys. Rev. C (submitted)]. This measurement, conducted at the OMEGA laser facility located University Rochester, made for first time using inertial confinement (ICF) plasmas. Neutron-induced backgrounds are significantly reduced in these experiments as compared to traditional beam-target accelerator-based due short pulse...
A fused silica Cherenkov radiator has been implemented at the National Ignition Facility to provide a new high precision measurement of time-of-flight spectrum 14.1 MeV DT fusion neutrons. This detector enables (<30 ps) co-registered both thresholded γ-ray and neutron on single record. Other methods typically require γ signals be via other diagnostics and/or dedicated timing experiments. Analysis allows precise extraction mean energy bulk hot-spot velocity, which were not possible...
Light nuclei were created during big-bang nucleosynthesis (BBN). Standard BBN theory, using rates inferred from accelerator-beam data, cannot explain high levels of ^{6}Li in low-metallicity stars. Using high-energy-density plasmas we measure the T(^{3}He,γ)^{6}Li reaction rate, a candidate for anomalously production; find that rate is too low to observations, and different than values used common models. This first data directly relevant BBN, also use laboratory plasmas, at comparable...
Double shell capsule implosions are an alternative approach to achieving alpha heating on the National Ignition Facility. Current machining techniques construct outer as two hemispheres that glued together, and deuterium tritium (DT) liquid inside inner will be injected by a fill tube. These features introduce asymmetries jetting may disrupt confinement of DT fuel if not carefully controlled. Simulations indicate in order achieve high yields laboratory, these well susceptibility...
In this Review Article, we discuss a range of soft x-ray power diagnostics at inertial confinement fusion (ICF) and pulsed-power facilities. This Article describes current hardware analysis approaches covers the following methods: diode arrays, bolometers, transmission grating spectrometers, associated crystal spectrometers. These systems are fundamental for diagnosis ICF experiments, providing wide critical parameters evaluation performance.
Fuel–ablator mix has been established as a major performance degrading effect in the burning plasma regime of recent inertial confinement fusion (ICF) experiments. As such, study fuel–ablator with experiments and simulations can provide valuable insight for our understanding these establish path even higher yields increased robustness. We present novel high-yield experimental ICF design that is motivated by measuring ice–ablator CH ablator instead high-density carbon (HDC) [B. Bachmann et...
Reaction history measurements, such as nuclear bang time and burn width, are fundamental components of diagnosing ICF implosions will be employed to help steer the National Ignition Facility (NIF) towards ignition. Fusion gammas provide a direct measure interaction rate (unlike x-rays) without being compromised by Doppler spreading neutrons). Gas Cherenkov Detectors that convert fusion gamma rays UV/visible photons for collection fast optical recording systems have established their...
The deuterium-tritium (D-T) $\ensuremath{\gamma}$-to-neutron branching ratio $[^{3}\mathrm{H}(d,\ensuremath{\gamma})^{5}\mathrm{He}/^{3}\mathrm{H}(d,n)^{4}\mathrm{He}]$ has been determined previously under inertial-confinement fusion (ICF) conditions and in beam-target based experiments. In the former case, neutron-induced backgrounds are mitigated compared to latter due short pulse nature of ICF implosions use gas Cherenkov $\ensuremath{\gamma}$-ray detectors. An added benefit measurements...