The indirect-drive inertial-confinement fusion of a deuterium-tritium (DT) filled capsule at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) provides a unique platform for measuring fission yields from a high-intensity instantaneous neutron source. The 14.1 MeV DT fusion neutrons dominate the neutron energy spectrum at NIF with lower energy contributions from the DD and TT fusion neutrons. As part of the Solid Radiochemistry nuclear diagnostic at NIF, various irradiation locations at 10-50 cm from the capsule have been developed for exposing materials of interest to the NIF DT fusion neutrons. Several irradiation experiments were performed at NIF in an effort to measure the fission yields for Th-232, U-238 and HEU. The irradiated samples were analyzed directly via gamma-spectrometry for short-lived and peak fission products while radiochemical separations were necessary for the difficult-to-measure and low-yield fission products. Detailed decay-curve analyses allowed for a more accurate identification and quantification of the fission products. Results from the fission yield measurements of these actinide isotopes will be presented.

Fission yield measurements for Th-232, U-238 and HEU at the National Ignition Facility

253rd National Meeting (2017)

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