Thermo-diffusion in inertially confined plasmas

Abstract

In a plasma of multiple ion species, thermodynamic forces such as pressure and temperature gradients can drive ion species separation via inter-species diffusion. Unlike its neutral mix counterpart, plasma thermo-diffusion is found comparable to, or even much larger than, baro-diffusion. It is shown that such a strong effect is due to the long-range nature of the Coulomb potential, as opposed to short-range interactions in neutral gases. A special composition of the tritium and 3He fuel is identified to have vanishing net diffusion during adiabatic compression, and hence provides an experimental test in which yield degradation is minimized during ICF implosions.