Developing a Platform to Enable Parameter Scaling Studies in Magnetized Liner Inertial Fusion Experiments

Magnetized Liner Inertial Fusion (MagLIF) is a magneto-inertial fusion concept that relies on fuel magnetization, laser preheat, and a magnetically driven implosion to produce fusion conditions. In MagLIF, the target is a roughly 10 mm long, 5 mm diameter, 0.5 mm thick, cylindrical beryllium shell containing ~1 mg/cm 3 D 2 gas. An axial magnetic field on the order of 10 T is applied to the target, and several kJ of laser energy is deposited into the fuel. Up to 20 MA of current is driven axially through the beryllium target, causing it to implode over approximately 100 ns. The implosion produces a ~100-μm diameter, ~8-mm tall fuel column with a burn-averaged ion temperature of several keV, that generates 10 11 -10 13 DD neutrons.