Forming and smoothing D{sub 2} and HD layers for ICF by infra-red heating

We describe a technique to form and smooth uniform solid D{sub 2}, HD or DT layers for inertial confinement fusion targets. Pumping the infrared (IR) collision induced vibration-rotation band generates a bulk heating of the solid. Shadowgraphs reveal that this bulk heat quickly redistributes the solid into a relatively uniform layer depending on the IR intensity profile. Measured redistribution time constants are used to determine the conversion efficiency of IR light into bulk heat. Phase shifting interferometry reveals that the surface roughness decreases with increasing IR heating.