Progress in shock wave diagnostic technology based on velocity interferometers for laser inertial confinement fusion

Laser-driven inertial confinement fusion (ICF) is an important experimental platform for high-energy-density physics research under extreme conditions. In ICF research, high-quality shock waves are key to fusion energy release. The velocity interferometer system for any reflector (VISAR) is the most important diagnostic technique for measuring quantities such as shock wave and particle velocities with high precision and high spatiotemporal resolution. This paper provides a detailed introduction to the various configurations of VISAR on 10 and 100 kJ-level laser facilities in China, including Line VISAR, Dual-Axis VISAR, Wide-Angle VISAR, and Compressed Ultrafast Photography-VISAR. Recent advances and applications of VISAR diagnostics at these laser facilities are presented, and the future trend of development of high-spatiotemporal-resolution velocity diagnostic technology is described.