Predictive Simulations of Inertial Confinement Fusion Ablator Materials

PI Ivan Oleynik , University of South Florida
Co-PI Aidan Thompson, Sandia National Laboratory
Mitchell Wood, Sandia National Laboratory
Stan Moore, Sandia National Laboratory
Rahulkumar Gayatri, National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center
Oleynik ALCC Image

HDC ablator capsule containing DT fuel inside a hohlraum.

Project Summary

The extreme-scale MD simulations from this project will deliver key information on physical properties of amorphous carbon including phase diagram, shock Hugoniot and the equation of state, the critical elements for the design of successful ICF ignition.

Project Description

Very recent record breaking 1.3-megajoule (MJ) energy-yield experiment at DOE’s National Ignition Facility (NIF) has brought practical realization of inertial confinement fusion (ICF) ignition within a reach. The ablator capsule converts the energy of high-power lasers into ablation pressure, which compresses and ignites the fusion fuel. To step up the energy yield, new alternatives to diamond ablator materials are urgently sought. This project will study the dynamic shock response of novel amorphous carbon ablator material in quantum-accurate billion atom molecular dynamics simulations at experimental time and length scales.

The extreme-scale MD simulations will deliver key information on physical properties of amorphous carbon including phase diagram, shock Hugoniot and the equation of state, the critical elements for the design of successful ICF ignition. They will also guide experiments at NIF and Omega EP laser facility at DOE’s Laboratory for Laser Energetics at the University of Rochester

Allocations