Neutron production by fast protons from ultraintense laser-plasma interactions
- Department of Physics, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, G4 0NG (United Kingdom)
Tens of MeV proton beams have been generated by interactions of the VULCAN petawatt laser with foil targets and used to induce nuclear reactions in zinc and boron samples. The numbers of {sup 11}C, {sup 66}Ga, {sup 67}Ga, {sup 68}Ga, {sup 61}Cu, {sup 62}Zn, {sup 63}Zn, and {sup 69m}Zn nuclei have been measured and used to determine the proton energy spectrum. It is known that (p,n) reactions provide an important method for producing neutron sources and in the present experiment up to {approx}10{sup 9} neutrons sr{sup -1} have been generated via {sup 11}B(p,n){sup 11}C reactions. Using experimentally determined proton energy spectra, the production of neutrons via (p,n) reactions in various targets has been simulated, to quantify neutron pulse intensities and energy spectra. It has been shown that as high as 4x10{sup 9} neutrons sr{sup -1} per laser pulse can be generated via {sup 7}Li(p,n){sup 7}B reactions using the present VULCAN petawatt laser-pulse conditions.
- OSTI ID:
- 20658124
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 96, Issue 11; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.1814421; (c) 2004 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0021-8979
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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