Public Abstract

DE-SC0024863: A Hub for Broadband Laser-Plasma Science Focused on Inertial Fusion Energy Driving the science and technology of a multiple beam high-bandwidth laser for IFE

Award Status: Active

Institution: University of Rochester, Rochester, NY
UEI: F27KDXZMF9Y8
DUNS: 041294109

Most Recent Award Date: 07/19/2024
Number of Support Periods: 2
PM: Akli, Kramer

Current Budget Period: 09/01/2024 - 08/31/2025
Current Project Period: 09/01/2023 - 08/31/2027
PI: Froula, Dustin

Supplement Budget Period: N/A

Public Abstract

A Hub for Broadband Laser-Plasma Science Focused on Inertial Fusion Energy Driving the science. and technology of a multiple beam high-bandwidth laser for IFE P.I.: Froula, Dustin INSTITUTION: University of Rochester, Rochester This Hub will leverage expertise and capabilities across the Team’s institutions to advance the foundation of inertial fusion energy (IFE) science and technology. By bringing together a critical mass of IFE experts from universities and the private sector, this Hub will provide the necessary focus to build the scientific case that will determine a technologically viable path to IFE. As outlined in the Inertial Fusion Energy Report of the 2022 Fusion Energy Science Basic Research Needs Workshop, the proposed research will directly address the most significant science issues that currently provide uncertainty in the path to an IFE facility by setting the requirements for a direct-drive high-bandwidth laser driver that mitigates laser imprint and laser-plasma instabilities at IFE relevant conditions, while developing hydrodynamically stable wetted foam targets. IFE necessary requires efficient high-repetition-rate laser drivers that couple effectively to targets, which can be rapidly produced at a fraction of the cost of current ICF targets—the direct-drive approach coupled with modern technologies provides a scientifically and technological supported path to meeting these challenging IFE requirements. Current missions to support Stockpile Stewardship are focused on single-shot high-yield indirect-drive fusion, which concentrates the Program on narrow-band-laser drivers that require the use of laser-plasma instabilities to control the symmetry of the capsule and the fabrication of layered targets that require hours of preparation—there is little near-term initiative to expand into the alternatives that present unique challenges, like wetted foam targets and high-bandwidth lasers. In contrast, IFE requires the mitigation of cross-beam energy transfer and wetted foam targets. This opens the opportunity for IFE studies that support the unique research in broadband laser-plasma instability physics that will more efficiently couple energy to the capsule and in wetted foam target science, which are both areas distinct from other current significantly funded programs. The Hub will use its extensive expertise in target science and fabrication to develop wetted foam targets, performing experiments and simulations to understand the effects of foam microstructures on hydrodynamic instabilities. These studies will evaluate the trade-offs in target performance between foam filament size, pore size, and graded index structures at cryogenic conditions to help guide the modeling and ultimately set the requirements for a future IFE target. Comparing the hydrodynamic performance of different target designs will establish the “acceptable” design space for mass production targets—a major driver on cost. Direct-drive fusion is the most straight-forward concept for inertial fusion energy, with its relatively simple target designs, open geometry, and significant potential for generating efficient robust ignition. Expanding the inertial fusion design space to include robust high-gain implosions is necessary for IFE concepts and all laser-based IFE approaches require further control of laser-plasma instabilities. Current state-of-the-art simulations suggest that fractional laser bandwidths of Δω/ω~2% could mitigate laser plasma instabilities at IFE plasma conditions and the Fourth generation Laser for Ultrabroadband eXperiments (FLUX) laser provides a transformative opportunity to experimentally demonstrate these benefits, which would illuminate a clear direction to an IFE driver. The Hub will couple state-of-the-art laser technologies with advanced laser-plasma instability modeling and experiments guided by experimentally tested hydrodynamic simulations to provide the scientific and technological underpinning for a high-bandwidth direct-drive IFE system. The proposed Hub is ideal to steward the IFE ecosystem and will strive to diversify the inertial fusion workforce through education outreach at all levels and supporting the communities early career scientists. Funding from this proposal will provide support for an annual 10-week-long IFE Summer Undergraduate Research Program for 15 students each year to provide a pipeline of talented undergraduates into careers in IFE research. The Hub has private partners that will help with the exchange of workforce between the public and private sectors, while providing an avenue to disseminate the research into the private sector for rapid commercialization of an IFE plant. This proposal will enable new early career scientists to engage in IFE research while supporting excellent mid-career scientists that have a passion for fusion energy science.

A Hub for Broadband Laser-Plasma Science Focused on Inertial Fusion Energy Driving the science. and technology of a multiple beam high-bandwidth laser for IFE

P.I.: Froula, Dustin

INSTITUTION: University of Rochester, Rochester

This Hub will leverage expertise and capabilities across the Team’s institutions to advance the foundation of inertial fusion energy (IFE) science and technology. By bringing together a critical mass of IFE experts from universities and the private sector, this Hub will provide the necessary focus to build the scientific case that will determine a technologically viable path to IFE. As outlined in the Inertial Fusion Energy Report of the 2022 Fusion Energy Science Basic Research Needs Workshop, the proposed research will directly address the most significant science issues that currently provide uncertainty in the path to an IFE facility by setting the requirements for a direct-drive high-bandwidth laser driver that mitigates laser imprint and laser-plasma instabilities at IFE relevant conditions, while developing hydrodynamically stable wetted foam targets.
IFE necessary requires efficient high-repetition-rate laser drivers that couple effectively to targets, which can be rapidly produced at a fraction of the cost of current ICF targets—the direct-drive approach coupled with modern technologies provides a scientifically and technological supported path to meeting these challenging IFE requirements. Current missions to support Stockpile Stewardship are focused on single-shot high-yield indirect-drive fusion, which concentrates the Program on narrow-band-laser drivers that require the use of laser-plasma instabilities to control the symmetry of the capsule and the fabrication of layered targets that require hours of preparation—there is little near-term initiative to expand into the alternatives that present unique challenges, like wetted foam targets and high-bandwidth lasers. In contrast, IFE requires the mitigation of cross-beam energy transfer and wetted foam targets. This opens the opportunity for IFE studies that support the unique research in broadband laser-plasma instability physics that will more efficiently couple energy to the capsule and in wetted foam target science, which are both areas distinct from other current significantly funded programs.
The Hub will use its extensive expertise in target science and fabrication to develop wetted foam targets, performing experiments and simulations to understand the effects of foam microstructures on hydrodynamic instabilities. These studies will evaluate the trade-offs in target performance between foam filament size, pore size, and graded index structures at cryogenic conditions to help guide the modeling and ultimately set the requirements for a future IFE target. Comparing the hydrodynamic performance of different target designs will establish the “acceptable” design space for mass production targets—a major driver on cost. Direct-drive fusion is the most straight-forward concept for inertial fusion energy, with its relatively simple target designs, open geometry, and significant potential for generating efficient robust ignition.
Expanding the inertial fusion design space to include robust high-gain implosions is necessary for IFE concepts and all laser-based IFE approaches require further control of laser-plasma instabilities. Current state-of-the-art simulations suggest that fractional laser bandwidths of Δω/ω~2% could mitigate laser plasma instabilities at IFE plasma conditions and the Fourth generation Laser for Ultrabroadband eXperiments (FLUX) laser provides a transformative opportunity to experimentally demonstrate these benefits, which would illuminate a clear direction to an IFE driver. The Hub will couple state-of-the-art laser technologies with advanced laser-plasma instability modeling and experiments guided by experimentally tested hydrodynamic simulations to provide the scientific and technological underpinning for a high-bandwidth direct-drive IFE system.
The proposed Hub is ideal to steward the IFE ecosystem and will strive to diversify the inertial fusion workforce through education outreach at all levels and supporting the communities early career scientists. Funding from this proposal will provide support for an annual 10-week-long IFE Summer Undergraduate Research Program for 15 students each year to provide a pipeline of talented undergraduates into careers in IFE research. The Hub has private partners that will help with the exchange of workforce between the public and private sectors, while providing an avenue to disseminate the research into the private sector for rapid commercialization of an IFE plant. This proposal will enable new early career scientists to engage in IFE research while supporting excellent mid-career scientists that have a passion for fusion energy science.