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DE-102024132962-A1 - Manufacturing process and target for laser-induced nuclear fusion

DE102024132962A1DE 102024132962 A1DE102024132962 A1DE 102024132962A1DE-102024132962-A1

Abstract

A method for producing a target (200) for laser-induced nuclear fusion using a channel system (100) is disclosed. The channel system (100) comprises a first channel (110) for a first liquid (10), a second channel (120) for a second liquid (20), a third channel (130) for a third liquid (30), and a fourth channel (140) for a fourth liquid (40). The second channel (120), the third channel (130), and the fourth channel (140) open sequentially into the first channel (110) at different positions. The method comprises: introducing (S110) the first liquid (10) into the first channel (110); introducing (S120) the second liquid (20) into the second channel (120) such that a droplet (210) of the first liquid (10) is formed within the second liquid (20) in the first channel; Introducing (S130) the third liquid (30) into the third channel (130) such that a first surface layer (220) of the second liquid (20) is formed on the droplet (210); and forming (S140) a precursor of the target (200) by introducing the fourth liquid (40) into the fourth channel (140) such that a second surface layer (230) of the third liquid (30) is formed on the first surface layer (220). The first liquid (10) is immiscible with the second liquid (20), the third liquid (30) is immiscible with the second liquid (20), and the fourth liquid (40) is immiscible with the third liquid (30).

Inventors

  • Maximilian Hartmann
  • Gabriel Schaumann

Assignees

  • FOCUSED ENERGY GMBH

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20241112

Claims (16)

  1. A method for producing a target (200) for laser-induced nuclear fusion using a channel system (100), wherein the channel system (100) comprises a first channel (110) for a first liquid (10), a second channel (120) for a second liquid (20), a third channel (130) for a third liquid (30), and a fourth channel (140) for a fourth liquid (40), the method comprising: Introducing (S110) the first liquid (10) into the first channel (110); Introducing (S120) the second liquid (20) into the second channel (120) such that a droplet (210) of the first liquid (10) is formed within the second liquid (20) in the first channel; Introducing (S130) the third liquid (30) into the third channel (130) such that a first surface layer (220) of the second liquid (20) is formed on the droplet (210); and Formation (S140) of the target (200) by introducing the fourth liquid (40) into the fourth channel (140), such that a second surface layer (230) is formed from the third liquid (30) on the first surface layer (220), where the first liquid (10) is immiscible with the second liquid (20) and the third liquid (30) is immiscible with the second liquid (20) and the fourth liquid (40) is immiscible with the third liquid (30).
  2. Procedure according to Claim 1 , which further includes: curing the second liquid (20) to form a foam layer (220); curing the third liquid (30) to form an ablation layer (230) for laser-induced nuclear fusion.
  3. Procedure according to Claim 2 , wherein the curing steps include at least one of the following: - polymerization, - sol-gel process, - drying, - drying at the critical point, - irradiation.
  4. Procedure according to Claim 2 or Claim 3 , which further includes the removal of the first liquid (10) within the foam layer (220).
  5. Procedure according to one of the Claims 2 until 4 , which further includes: opening the ablation layer (230) and/or the foam layer (220); introducing a fuel for nuclear fusion into the foam layer (220).
  6. Procedure according to Claim 5 , wherein the fuel for nuclear fusion comprises one of the following substances: hydrogen, deuterium, tritium, boron: B11, helium: He3, lithium: Li6, Li7.
  7. Procedure according to one of the Claims 1 until 6 , wherein the channel system (100) further comprises a control device configured to adjust volumetric flow rates of at least one of the first liquid, the second liquid, the third liquid and the fourth liquid, and the method further comprises: forming the first surface layer (220) with a layer thickness of 50 to 200 µm by adjusting a relative volumetric flow rate between the first liquid (10) and the second liquid (20); and/or forming the second surface layer (230) with a layer thickness of 5 to 50 µm by adjusting a relative volumetric flow rate between the second liquid (20) and the third liquid (30).
  8. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the formation of the first surface layer (220) and/or the second surface layer (230) is carried out concentrically by forming a dielectrophoretic force for gravitational compensation.
  9. Method according to any of the preceding claims, whereby the introduction of the third liquid (30) comprises the simultaneous introduction of the third liquid (30) into the first channel (110) from different sides, and/or whereby the introduction of the fourth liquid (40) comprises the simultaneous introduction of the fourth liquid (40) into the first channel (110) from different sides.
  10. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the second channel (120) and the third channel (130) successively open into the first channel (110) at different positions along a flow direction of the first liquid (10).
  11. Procedure according to one of the Claims 1 until 9 , wherein the first channel (110) has a first tubular section (117), the second channel (120) has a second tubular section (127), the third channel (130) has a third tubular section (137), and the third tubular section (137) extends coaxially around the second tubular section (117) and the third tubular section (137) extends coaxially around the second tubular section (127) and projects into the fourth channel (140), and wherein end sections of the first tubular section (117) and the second tubular section (127) and the third tubular section (137) are formed as nozzle-shaped or tubular.
  12. Procedure according to one of the Claims 1 until 11 , wherein a channel wall of the first channel (110) and/or the fourth channel (140) has the following wettabilities: a first wettability with respect to the first liquid (10), a second wettability with respect to the second liquid (20), a third wettability with respect to the third liquid (30), a fourth wettability with respect to the fourth liquid (40), and wherein the following holds: the first wettability is less than the second wettability, the second wettability is less than the third wettability, the third wettability is less than the fourth wettability.
  13. A method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein - the first liquid comprises water, - the second liquid (20) comprises poly-4-methyl-1-pentene, PMP, - the third liquid (30) comprises trimethylpropane triacrylate, TMPTA, - the fourth liquid (40) comprises mineral oil or silicone oil.
  14. A target (200) for laser-induced nuclear fusion comprising: a cavity (211); a foam layer (220) for receiving a fuel for nuclear fusion; and an ablation layer (230) for thermal conversion of incident laser radiation, the foam layer (220) enclosing the cavity (211) and the ablation layer (230) enclosing the foam layer (220).
  15. The target (200) after Claim 14 , wherein the foam layer (220) has a layer thickness in the range of 50 µm to 300 µm, and/or wherein the ablation layer has a layer thickness in the range of 5 µm to 100 µm, and/or wherein the target has a diameter in the range of 400 µm to 5 mm.
  16. The target (200) after Claim 14 or Claim 15 , wherein the foam layer (220) contains a mixture of deuterium and tritium as fuel for nuclear fusion.

Description

The present invention relates to a method for producing a target for laser-induced nuclear fusion, to a target of laser-induced nuclear fusion and in particular to microfluidically produced three-phase droplets for the direct production of foam-in-dish targets in a one-step process. background Shell targets for laser-induced nuclear fusion (nuclear fusion targets) serve on the one hand as containers for the fuel of nuclear fusion (e.g. a deuterium-tritium mixture) and on the other hand for the conversion of the energy of the incident laser beams into heat (ablation), whereby the impact layer is vaporized and energy is directed radially inwards to trigger nuclear fusion there. The production of nuclear fusion targets currently involves several separate processes. First, foams and shells are produced. Then, the foam is placed in a shell, ensuring an even distribution within the shell. This procedure is complex, time-consuming, and prone to errors. In addition to the aforementioned procedure, there is another procedure, such as that used in the EP 3 166 112 B1 This process is described. Here, a spherical target consisting of several onion-shaped shells made of different polymers is produced, with the concentrically arranged polymer shells serving as containers for deuterium and tritium as fuel for nuclear fusion. This approach is also complex, as it utilizes a sophisticated array of nozzles that first form droplets which are then polymerized. Therefore, especially for the highly repetitive fabrication of fusion targets, there is a need for further manufacturing processes for laser fusion targets or their precursors that overcome the aforementioned disadvantages. Brief description of the invention At least some of the aforementioned problems are solved by a method for producing a target for laser-induced nuclear fusion according to claim 1 and a target according to claim 10. The dependent claims relate to advantageous embodiments of the subject matter of the independent claims. The present invention relates to a method for producing a target for laser-induced nuclear fusion using a channel system. The channel system comprises a first channel for a first liquid, a second channel for a second liquid, a third channel for a third liquid, and a fourth channel for a fourth liquid. The method includes: - Introducing the first liquid into the first channel; - Introducing the second liquid into the second channel to form a drop of the first liquid inside the second liquid in the first channel; - Introducing the third liquid into the third channel to form a first surface layer of the second liquid on the drop; and - Forming the target by introducing the fourth liquid into the fourth channel to form a second surface layer from the third liquid on the first surface layer. The first liquid is immiscible with the second, the third liquid is immiscible with the second, and the fourth liquid is immiscible with the third. The formation of droplets and/or surface layers can be controlled by adjusting the volumetric flow rate or pressure of the liquid additions. Furthermore, the liquids can wet each other, allowing multiple liquid phases to be layered on top of or within each other. Optionally, the process further includes: curing the third liquid into an ablation layer for laser-induced nuclear fusion, and/or curing the second liquid into a foam layer. The ablation layer is a layer that serves to convert the laser beams into kinetic energy and here The ablation layer is compressed (and thus heated) by the fusion fuel. Advantageously, the ablation layer absorbs the laser radiation very well. At the same time, this layer serves as an outer seal to securely enclose the fusion material (deuterium and/or tritium) and thus seal the target. Optionally, the curing steps include at least one of the following: - a polymerization, - a sol-gel process, - a solvent exchange, - a drying, - drying at the critical point, - irradiation (e.g., photocuring). The sol-gel process is advantageously used to generate the foam or foam layer from the second liquid. During drying at the critical point, no phase boundary (liquid-gas) advantageously forms, thus avoiding artifacts and resulting in a very high-quality foam layer. Optionally, the process further includes the removal of the initial liquid within the foam layer. According to exemplary embodiments, the removal of the initial liquid can be carried out simultaneously during the drying step of the foam layer. Both steps can therefore be performed together (in one process step). However, they can also be independent process steps that are carried out sequentially. Optionally, the process further includes the following: opening the ablation layer and/or opening the foam layer (e.g., partially) and/or introducing a fuel for nuclear fusion into the foam layer. The opened layers can then be closed again. The fuel for nuclear fusion can, for example, contain at least one of the following substances: hydro