Fabrication of cryogenic targets for laser fusion

Summary form only given. The current understanding of future targets for a laser fusion reactor is to use cryogenic targets which have a liquid or solid fuel layer on the inner surface of the fuel container. To provide the cryogenic target at a wide range of temperature is very valuable from the viewpoint of studying the implosion physics of the cryogenic targets. The cryogenic target at liquid phase can provide the central void with gas fuel at variable density by controlling the temperature. This gaseous fuel would provide a hot core to ignite the main fuel. Two alternative techniques have been developed: (1) a foam method in which a foam shell is used to sustain liquid fuel, (2) a layering method to make a uniform solid fuel layer with the aid of plasma.