US Patent 10475541 Simple and robust implosion of ICF targets

A method of imploding an Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) target may include directing laser energy into a hohlraum, where a target is disposed within the hohlraum that includes an ablator layer, a shell disposed within the ablator layer, and a fuel region disposed within the shell. The method may also include ablating the ablator layer in response to the laser energy being directed into the hohlraum, and generating a single shockwave that is driven inward through the ablator layer. The method may further include impulsively accelerating the shell inward when hit by the single shockwave, and compressing the fuel region by the inward acceleration of the shell.