The Case for Fast Ignition as an IFE Concept Exploration Program

Book excerpt: The fast ignition (FI) concept is a variant of inertial fusion in which the compression and ignition steps are separated. Calculations suggest this would allow a substantial improvement in target gain, and could form the basis of a very attractive power plant. Transporting the energy to ignite a target involves the physics of light-driven relativistic plasmas; a subject which is not well understood. A concept exploration effort to understand the energy transport physics, and also to clarify the merits of a FI IFE power plant could justify a proof-of-principle program on the National Ignition Facility.