Progress on next generation gamma-ray Cherenkov detectors for the National Ignition Facility

Fusion reaction history and ablator areal density measurements for Inertial Confinement Fusion experiments at the National Ignition Facility are currently conducted using the Gamma Reaction History diagnostic (GRH_6m). Future Gas Cherenkov Detectors (GCDs) will ultimately provide ∼100x more sensitivity, reduce the effective temporal response from ∼100 to ∼10 ps, and lower the energy threshold from 2.9 to 1.8 MeV, relative to GRH_6m. The first phase toward next generation GCDs consisted of inserting the existing coaxial GCD-3 detector into a reentrant well which puts it within 4 m of the implosion. Reaction history and ablator gamma measurement results from this Phase I are discussed here. These results demonstrate viability for the follow-on Phases of (II) the use of a revolutionary new pulse-dilation photomultiplier tube to improve the effective measurement bandwidth by >10x relative to current PMT technology; and (III) the design of a NIF-specific "Super" GCD which will be informed by the assessment of the radiation background environment within the well described here.