A simple model of ’’exploding‐pusher’’ laser fusion targets is presented. The peak ion temperature is calculated by assuming that the ion heating mechanism is a shock followed by isentropic compression. The compression is calculated by conservation of mass and reasonable assumptions on the density profile at peak compression time. The neutron yield predictions of this model agree over a broad range of parameter space with those of complex one‐dimensional numerical simulation, which in two dimensions have tracked experimentally measured yields quite accurately.

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1979
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