Ignition target design and robustness studies for the National Ignition Facility

Recent results are presented from two‐dimensional LASNEX [G. B. Zimmerman and W. L. Kruer, Comments Plasmas Phys. Controlled Thermonucl. Fusion 2, 51 (1975)] calculations of the indirectly driven hohlraum and ignition capsules proposed for the National Ignition Facility (NIF). The calculations concentrate on two capsule designs, the baseline design that has a bromine‐doped plastic ablator, and the beryllium design that has a copper‐doped beryllium ablator. Both capsules have a cryogenic fuel layer. Primary emphasis in these calculations is placed upon robustness studies detailing various sensitivities. Because of computer modeling limitations these studies fall into two categories: those performed with integrated modeling where the capsule, hohlraum, and laser rays all are modeled simultaneously with the laser power levels as the only energy input; and those performed in a capsule‐only mode where an externally imposed radiative flux is applied to the exterior of the capsule, and only the capsule performan...