Beam-plasma interaction in fast ignition nuclear fusion: Hot-spot properties and gains for different initial plasma temperatures

Abstract

The main objective of this work is to characterize relevant properties of the hot spots obtained in the interaction between ion beams of V23+ and a spherical pure precompressed deuterium–tritium plasmas in the field of ion fast ignition scheme. In particular, we focus our analysis on the determination of the length, average temperature and maximum temperature (and its location) achieved by the hot spot as a function of the ion beam parameters (particle density and initial energy). Special attention is paid to central hot spots with characteristic lengths in the range 20–40 μm. Furthermore, the self-heating and ignition curves associated to the hot spots generated as well as the burning gain of the precompressed deuterium–tritium fuel are determined. This study is made for a wide range of the beam parameters in which the ignition of the hot spot is achieved and for precompressed deuterium–tritium plasma at 500 g cm3 and temperatures of 0.5, 1 and 5 keV.