Exploring laser-driven neutron sources for neutron capture cascades and the production of neutron-rich isotopes

Hill, P.; Wu, Yuanbin

doi:10.1103/physrevc.103.014602

Cited by 11 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 91 publications

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“…The stable Au isotope represents a waiting point within the nuclear astrophysical r-process heavy element nucleosynthesis. Within the experimental accuracy, the 198m Au yield reached in the present work is in a good agreement with the theoretical study by Hill et al 32 .…”

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 93%

“…Therefore, especially for laboratory nuclear astrophysical studies the development of neutron sources with high neutron-fluxes and neutron energies from tens of keV to several hundreds of keV are of great importance. Recent theoretical studies of the neutron capture cascade using laser-driven neutron sources have shown the feasibility for neutron capture nucleosynthesis in the laboratory 32 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Forward-looking insights in laser-generated ultra-intense γ-ray and neutron sources for nuclear application and science

et al. 2022

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Ultra-intense MeV photon and neutron beams are indispensable tools in many research fields such as nuclear, atomic and material science as well as in medical and biophysical applications. For applications in laboratory nuclear astrophysics, neutron fluxes in excess of 1021 n/(cm2 s) are required. Such ultra-high fluxes are unattainable with existing conventional reactor- and accelerator-based facilities. Currently discussed concepts for generating high-flux neutron beams are based on ultra-high power multi-petawatt lasers operating around 1023 W/cm2 intensities. Here, we present an efficient concept for generating γ and neutron beams based on enhanced production of direct laser-accelerated electrons in relativistic laser interactions with a long-scale near critical density plasma at 1019 W/cm2 intensity. Experimental insights in the laser-driven generation of ultra-intense, well-directed multi-MeV beams of photons more than 1012 ph/sr and an ultra-high intense neutron source with greater than 6 × 1010 neutrons per shot are presented. More than 1.4% laser-to-gamma conversion efficiency above 10 MeV and 0.05% laser-to-neutron conversion efficiency were recorded, already at moderate relativistic laser intensities and ps pulse duration. This approach promises a strong boost of the diagnostic potential of existing kJ PW laser systems used for Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) research.

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Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 93%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Forward-looking insights in laser-generated ultra-intense γ-ray and neutron sources for nuclear application and science

et al. 2022

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“…For this reason, high-flux neutron sources remain an important subject of research and development. Laser-driven neutron sources in particular are a promising approach [5], having already achieved much higher peak neutron fluxes than fission reactors (~10 15 /cm 2 /s) or spallation (~10 17 /cm 2 /s) sources in laboratory experiments, potentially in a more compact facility [6].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

High deuteron and neutron yields from the interaction of a petawatt laser with a cryogenic deuterium jet

Jiao

Curry²,

Gauthier³

et al. 2023

Front. Phys.

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A compact high-flux, short-pulse neutron source would have applications from nuclear astrophysics to cancer therapy. Laser-driven neutron sources can achieve fluxes much higher than spallation and reactor neutron sources by reducing the volume and time in which the neutron-producing reactions occur by orders of magnitude. We report progress towards an efficient laser-driven neutron source in experiments with a cryogenic deuterium jet on the Texas Petawatt laser. Neutrons were produced both by laser-accelerated multi-MeV deuterons colliding with Be and mixed metallic catchers and by d (d,n)3He fusion reactions within the jet. We observed deuteron yields of 1013/shot in quasi-Maxwellian distributions carrying ∼8−10% of the input laser energy. We obtained neutron yields greater than 1010/shot and found indications of a deuteron-deuteron fusion neutron source with high peak flux (>1022 cm−2 s−1). The estimated fusion neutron yield in our experiment is one order of magnitude higher than any previous laser-induced dd fusion reaction. Though many technical challenges will have to be overcome to convert this proof-of-principle experiment into a consistent ultra-high flux neutron source, the neutron fluxes achieved here suggest laser-driven neutron sources can support laboratory study of the rapid neutron-capture process, which is otherwise thought to occur only in astrophysical sites such as core-collapse supernova, and binary neutron star mergers.

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“…It has been proposed to simulate phenomena in stellar plasma [24] and to measure nuclear reaction cross sections in stellar environments [25][26][27][28][29][30]. Pioneer studies using high power lasers were carried out at the University of Texas at Austin [26] and at the National Ignition Facility [29] to study astrophysical S factors.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It has also been suggested to measure stellar (n, γ) reaction cross sections using LDNSs to study the s-process [27]. Furthermore, it has been proposed to produce neutron-rich nuclei heavier than an initial nuclide by at least four neutrons by LDNSs to study the s and r processes [30].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Thermal neutron fluence measurement by Cadmium differential method at laser-driven neutron source

Mori¹,

Yogo²,

Hayakawa³

et al. 2022

J. Phys. G: Nucl. Part. Phys.

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We produced high-energy neutrons by p+Be and d+Be reactions with protons and deuterons with continues energies of up to 30 and 10 MeV/u, respectively, provided from laser-plasma interactions. Thermal neutrons were subsequently generated through deceleration by a small moderator with conjunction on the Be target. Here we report the measurements on the thermal neutron ﬂuence using the activation method with/without Cd ﬁlters. The unstable isotopes of 198Au, 56Mn, 60Co, and 181Hf were produced through (n, γ) reactions by a single laser shot. The nuclear reaction rates were evaluated by measuring the γ-rays emitted from these unstable isotopes. The thermal neutron ﬂuences from the four nuclides are consistent within their experimental uncertainties. The ﬂuence is evaluated to be (2.2±0.4)×105neutrons/cm2at the distance of approximately 9-mm at 90◦ against the laser axis. The present result shows that the method to generate thermal neutrons from a compact neutron source with a diameter of 44 mm and length of 46 mm is expected to be a useful tool for various nuclear experiments.

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Exploring laser-driven neutron sources for neutron capture cascades and the production of neutron-rich isotopes

Cited by 11 publications

References 91 publications

Forward-looking insights in laser-generated ultra-intense γ-ray and neutron sources for nuclear application and science

Forward-looking insights in laser-generated ultra-intense γ-ray and neutron sources for nuclear application and science

High deuteron and neutron yields from the interaction of a petawatt laser with a cryogenic deuterium jet

Thermal neutron fluence measurement by Cadmium differential method at laser-driven neutron source

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