Progress in pulsed power sciences at sandia national laboratories

Summary form only given. Pulsed power has enabled many recent advances at Sandia National Laboratories. Dynamic hohlraum target experiments for inertial confinement fusion (ICF) on the Z accelerator have produced D-D neutron yields up to 8times10¹⁰, which is approximately a factor of 10 higher than that achieved by any other indirect-drive experiments. This significant advance has stimulated innovative concepts for cost-effective sources of X-rays for a high-yield fusion capability and for z-pinch-driven fusion energy. Isentropic compression experiments on Z have expanded the accessible parameter space for measuring dynamic material properties. Equation-of-state measurements up to 2.7 Mbar have been achieved and flyer plates have been accelerated above 20 km/s. Sandia is also pursuing a phased approach to adding multikilojoule petawatt capability to the existing Z-Beamlet laser to extend and enhance high energy density physics experiments on Z. The ZR refurbishment of the Z accelerator, scheduled for commissioning in 2006, is on schedule and will increase the current to 26 MA and the power to 330 TW. Three-dimensional, fully electromagnetic computational tools are being developed to model large scale and complex pulsed power accelerators with high fidelity. These tools utilize state-of-the-art numerical techniques, are optimized for massively-parallel cluster-type computers, and are being used in the design of the ZR accelerator and for the design and qualification of defense hardware. Russian Linear Transformer Technology (LTD) is being investigated for various applications including a 1-MV, 150 kA, 50 ns module for flash radiography and a 1 MV, 1 MA, 100-ns module for next-generation z-pinch drivers. Exciting progress has been made in pulsed power applications including development towards a 200 MW multisecond electron beam accelerator system for hypersonic ground test facilities and a revolutionary wiring diagnostic for detection of defects in aging el- - ectrical wiring systems