Electron-ion inverse bremsstrahlung absorption in magnetized fusion plasma

Abstract

Abstract Magneto-inertial fusion (MIF) is an approach for thermonuclear fusion. It consists in applying a strong magnetic field to the inertial-fusion plasma, with the role of the magnetic field being to limit the diffusion of the formed plasma during the impact of an intense laser pulse with a target containing the thermonuclear fuel, as well as the confinement alpha particles produced by the fusion reaction. This allows the reduction of energy loss and improves compression conditions. In this paper we are interested in the study of the electron-ion inverse bremsstrahlung absorption (IBA) of the laser energy in magnetized plasma in the MIF frame. In addition, we apply the derived formula to calculate the absorption in magnetic fusion plasma heated by microwave. We use the Fokker-Planck-Maxwell theory to calculate the IBA explicitly in magnetized plasma. Scaling laws for IBA in MIF plasma and for magnetic confinement plasma are established. The numerical treatment of the model equations shows the influence of the magnetic field and the polarization of the wave on the absorption.