Jim H Hammer

Title: Jim H Hammer: Innovator in Inertial Confinement Fusion

Introduction

Jim H Hammer is a notable inventor based in Livermore, California. He has made significant contributions to the field of inertial confinement fusion, holding a total of 3 patents. His work focuses on enhancing the conditions required for ignition and propagating burn in fusion targets.

Latest Patents

One of Jim H Hammer's latest patents involves the use of a hohlraum as a single turn solenoid to generate a seed magnetic field for inertial confinement fusion. This application of axial seed magnetic fields, ranging from 20-100 T, compresses to greater than 10,000 T (100 MG) under typical National Ignition Facility (NIF) implosion conditions. This innovation may significantly relax the conditions required for ignition and propagating burn in NIF ignition targets that are affected by hydrodynamic instabilities. The magnetic fields can facilitate the recovery of ignition or significant alpha particle heating in submarginal NIF targets that would otherwise fail due to adverse hydrodynamic instability growth. Additionally, it allows for the attainment of ignition in conventional cryogenic layered solid-DT targets redesigned for reduced drive conditions. Furthermore, it enables volumetric ignition in simpler, room-temperature single-shell DT gas capsules and improves adverse hohlraum plasma conditions during laser drive and capsule compression. Overall, an applied magnetic field is expected to enhance the ignition conditions for any NIF ignition target design.

Career Highlights

Jim H Hammer is currently employed at Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC, where he continues to advance research in fusion technology. His expertise and innovative approaches have positioned him as a key figure in the field.

Collaborations

Throughout his career, Jim has collaborated with notable colleagues, including Lindsay John Perkins and Max Tabak. These partnerships have contributed to the development of groundbreaking technologies in inertial confinement fusion.

Conclusion

Jim H Hammer's contributions to inertial confinement fusion through his innovative patents and collaborations highlight his significant role in advancing this critical field of research. His work continues to pave the way for future advancements in fusion technology.