High Energy Density Physics of Novel Inertial Fusion Energy Ablator Materials

The historic December 5, 2022 experiment at Lawrence Livermore National Lab’s (LLNL) National Ignition Facility (NIF) achieved fusion ignition and paved the way to future clean inertial fusion energy (IFE). One of the key elements of IFE experiments is the ablative fuel capsule subjected to strong compression shocks to implode the fuel upon rocket-like blow-off of the material.

Combining machine-learning molecular dynamics and experimental measurements, we investigate the high energy density physics of ablator materials under IFE driver compression. The scientific goals are to (1) uncover atomic-scale evolution of materials’ microstructure, (2) accurately describe complex states of ablator materials, and (3) obtain high-quality equation of state (EOS).

This DOE-supported research involves collaborators from Carnegie’s Earth and Planets Laboratory and LLNL, backed by a computational campaign at the Frontier exascale supercomputer (ALCC award) and an experimental campaign at Omega EP laser facility (LaserNetUS award).