Progress toward ignition with direct-drive

The goal of the direct-drive laser fusion program is to validate high-performance, direct-drive targets. A decision to construct a direct-drive capability on the proposed 1-to-2-MJ National Ignition Facility (NIF) in the USA will be based on target physics experiments conducted on the OMEGA Upgrade laser system now under construction at the LLE. The OMEGA Upgrade will provide up to 30 kJ of UV laser energy in precisely shaped pulses with irradiation nonuniformities in the range of 1 pc. to 2 pc. An understanding and predictive capability for direct-drive targets are required to assure reliable estimates of ignition and gain with 1-2 MJ of incident laser energy. This paper reviews the target physics efforts currently underway to assess the critical physics issues of direct-drive ICF; plans for the experimental program to be carried out on the OMEGA Upgrade laser are also presented. 14 figs., 15 refs