Progress on the magnetized ignition experimental platform for the National Ignition Facility*

Magnetizing the DT fuel in an inertial confinement fusion (ICF) indirect drive (ID) target is expected to increase the ion temperature by > 0.5 keV and the neutron yield by > 50% relative to unmagnetized fuel due to reduced electron thermal conduction and alpha particle trapping. A magnetized ID project at NIF is underway and has started applying a ~ 25 T seed field to D2 gas-filled capsules in a Au:Ta high electrical resistivity hohlraum to quantify the B-field effects in these room temperature implosions and compare with modeling predictions.  Ice-layered DT implosions will follow and require a new pulser design and a modified DT ice layer growth strategy.  We will describe the status of the experiments and the project plan.