Backlit capsule implosions on Z: Comparison of simulation and experiment

Summary form only given. The z-pinch driven hohlraum high-yield concept is in the process of being experimentally validated on the Z accelerator, qualifying its performance with respect to hohlraum energetics, radiation symmetry, pulse shaping, capsule preheat, and z-pinch physics scaling. Key parts of the assessment effort are the measurement and simulation of capsule radiation symmetry on Z, and the theoretical scaling of radiation symmetry from the hohlraum conditions on Z (70-90 eV) to the 200-250 eV hohlraum temperatures characteristic of a device for driving high yield capsules. Recently, we have begun to use the Z-beamlet laser (ZBL) to create high-energy (4.75 - 6.7 keV) X-rays for backlighting capsule implosion experiments on Z in point projection mode. The hohlraum geometry is a single-sided power feed analog to the high-yield concept, in which a central secondary hohlraum containing the capsule is driven by a z-pinch primary hohlraum at each end. Images at 4.75 and 6.7 keV backlighting energies have been obtained, mapping the trajectory and distortion of a 2-mm initial diameter plastic ablator capsule over multiple shots.