Radiochemical diagnostics at the National Ignition Facility

Abstract

Since the National Ignition Facility (NIF) was commissioned in 2009, radiochemical techniques have been viewed as a potential method for diagnosing the performance of an NIF fusion shot. Radiochemical methods can also be used in conjunction with NIF shots to measure nuclear reaction cross sections in regimes that are inaccessible at accelerator facilities and can provide a route to produce radioactive tracer materials that can be used for other applications. This review presents the current status of radiochemical diagnostics at the NIF. Experimental results and the status of both solid and gaseous debris collection radiochemistry are presented.