A type of iron (III) oxide doped plastic shell used for inertial confinement fusion experiments has been fabricated by emulsion techniques. Three different phases of solution (W-1, O, and W-2) are used for the fabrication process. The W-1 phase is a 1 wt% of sodium lauryl sulfate in water. This W-1 phase solution is mixed with a 3 wt% Fe2O3-polystyrene (PS) solution in benzene-dichloroethane (O phase) while stirring. The resulting emulsion (W-1/O) is poured into a 3 wt % aqueous polyvinyl alcohol solution (W2 phase) while stirring. The resulting emulsion (W-1/O/W-2) is then heated to evaporate benzene and dichloroethane, and thus a solid Fe2O3-PS shell is formed. The diameter and wall thickness of the shells range from 150 to 500 mum and 5 to 15 mum, respectively. The average surface roughness of the shells is 40 nm, similar to that of the usual PS shells. (C) 2004 American Vacuum Society.