Enhancing ICF Target Design: The Impact of Gold Particles as Pusher on Ignition and Burn

Abstract

Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) is a promising approach to addressing global energy challenges through controlled nuclear fusion. This study investigates the impact of incorporating a gold pusher layer in laser-driven ICF target design. Numerical simulations with the MULTI-IFE code reveal that the gold pusher enhances confinement and energy deposition, resulting in a 9% increase in laser energy absorption and a 5% augmentation in total energy produced by alpha particles. Notably, these improvements amplify fusion reactions in the core and elevate the radiation temperature from 2.6 to 3.7 keV, creating more favorable conditions for ignition and burn. Furthermore, this study quantifies the gold pusher’s effect on fusion gain, a crucial metric for ICF feasibility, revealing a notable enhancement from 84 to 102. This significant boost underscores the gold pusher’s potential to optimize ICF target configurations, thereby advancing progress toward practical and efficient laser-driven inertial confinement fusion.