Integrated simulations of ignition scale fusion targets for the HiPER project

Integrated simulations of fusion targets with a re-entrant cone are presented. Fuel assembly is modeled with one- and two-dimensional (2D) radiation hydrodynamics. Fast electron acceleration in the cone is simulated with 2D planar particle-in-cell (PIC) codes. The fast electron transport and the fuel ignition are described self-consistently with a 2D cylindrical electron hybrid code coupled to hydrodynamics. It is found that at laser intensities ~ 1020 W cm−2, the front rippling at the cone tip generates strong magnetostatic fields, producing a large electron beam divergence. Fuel ignition at acceptable values of the ultra high intensity (UHI) laser energy requires a substantial reduction of the electron beam divergence.