[en] A set of spherical target experiments was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of three techniques for achieving higher convergence implosions. They are (1) cryogenically frozen fuel layers, (2) submicron wavelength laser light, and (3) temporally tailored pulse shapes. A second set of experiments provides information about energy transport by thermal and suprathermal electrons and uses multilayered targets as an integral component of the diagnostics. These results, in conjunction with existing laser-target coupling data, provide a more comprehensive test of our understanding of laser plasma interaction, energy transport, and hydrodynamic response of small scale spherical laser fusion experiments

[en] An improved laser system and method for implosion of a thermonuclear fuel pellet is described in which that portion of a laser pulse reflected by the target pellet is utilized in the laser system to initiate a succeeding target implosion, and in which the energy stored in the laser system to amplify the initial laser pulse, but not completely absorbed thereby, is used to amplify succeeding laser pulses initiated by target refγlection

[en] Some preliminary experiments at KMS Fusion are described on laser implosion of D and D--T targets. Typical results described are fuel compressions of x20 and 10⁷ neutrons produced per laser pulse

[en] The two computer programs presented in this paper are both fundamentally general in that they could be applied to other magnet systems. In addition to MFTF-B analyses, these programs will be used on current and future GDC superconducting magnet projects. Future extended capabilities will include transient heating and flow conditions for THERMOSIPHON and multiple magnet quench features for MAGPRS

[en] The American Laboratories which have conducted laser interaction experiments and are included in this report are KMS Fusion, Inc. (KMSF), Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory (LASL), Laboratory for Laser Energetics (LLE), Lawrence Livermore Laboratory (LLL), and Naval Research Laboratory (NRL). Although information on all aspects of every experimental laboratory is not readily available, it is still possible to define certain experimental areas which are general enough to provide certain commonality between the laboratories. A review is given

[en] Progress during this period is reported for each of the following topics: (1) spherical shell fuel containers, (2) polymer research, (3) cryogenic technology, (4) fabrication technology, (5) implosion physics, (6) fast ion measurements of laser-produced spherical plasmas, (7) absorbed energy measurements, (8) diagnostics, (9) fast ion energy loss in dense plasmas, (10) electron transport, (11) ionization equation of state, (12) profile modification by pondermotive forces, (13) pondermotive potential effects on Ohm's law, (14) effect of flux-limited thermal transport on critical surface jump conditions, (15) spherical rarefaction shocks, (16) explosively heated Gaussian objects, (17) bandwidth broadening, (18) frequency doubling experiments, (19) advanced laser candidates, (20) glass laser operation, and (21) 2TW laser upgrade

[en] These experiments were designed to investigate the exploding laser target as well as individual phenomena associated with laser/target interaction. Experiments using cryogenic fuels and fabricated polymer fuel containers are described. Several experiments were performed to characterize plasma conditions relevant to inertial confinement. These experiments involved plasma generated by laser light absorption by thin foil targets, and the determination plasma density profiles for thin foil targets from one and two sides. Theoretical studies are discussed in consideration of two-dimensional effects in parametric instability theories and in analysis of the nonlinear ion-acoustic wave equation. An atomic physics model for use in inertial confinement and x-ray laser simulation has been developed along with a viewfactor code to be used in target experiments of complicated geometry

[en] A review of laser compression experiments at KMS Fusion is presented. Laser work being carried out is discussed. Measurements of the actual target compression are made from photographs of the bremsstrahlung emission. The observation of neutrons in over 500 neutron-producing shots is discussed. (U.S.)

[en] This paper describes a system that automates neutral beam source conditioning. The system achieves this with artificial intelligence techniques by encoding the behavior of several experts as a set of if-then rules in an expert system. One of the functions of the expert system is to control an adaptive controller that, in turn, controls the neutral beam source. The architecture of the system is presented followed by a description of its performance

[en] A plasma probing (263 nm) pulse, from a temporally compressed YLF oscillator, delineates electron densities of very early (10 to 150 psec) selenium and gold plasmas using holographic interferometry