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Characterizing laser-plasma ion accelerators driving an intense neutron beam via nuclear signatures

Journal Article · · Scientific Reports
 [1];  [2];  [1];  [3];  [4];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [5];  [1];  [1]
  1. Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
  2. Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Spectral Sciences, Burlington, MA (United States)
  3. Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
  4. ELI Beamlines, Prague (Czech Republic); Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Dresden (Germany)
  5. Technische Univ. Darmstadt, Darmstadt (Germany)
+ Show Author Affiliations
Compact, bright neutron sources are opening up several emerging applications including detection of nuclear materials for national security applications. At Los Alamos National Laboratory, we have used a short-pulse laser to accelerate deuterons in the relativistic transparency regime. These deuterons impinge on a beryllium converter to generate neutrons. During the initial experiments where these neutrons were used for active interrogation of uranium and plutonium, we observed β-delayed neutron production from decay of 9Li, formed by the high-energy deuteron bombardment of the beryllium converter. Analysis of the delayed neutrons provides novel evidence of the divergence of the highest energy portion of the deuterons (i.e., above 10 MeV/nucleon) from the laser axis, a documented feature of the breakout afterburner laser-plasma ion acceleration mechanism. Furthermore, these delayed neutrons form the basis of non-intrusive diagnostics for determining the features of deuteron acceleration as well as monitoring neutron production for the next generation of laser-driven neutron sources.
Research Organization:
Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL)
Sponsoring Organization:
LDRD; USDOE
Grant/Contract Number:
89233218CNA000001
OSTI ID:
1496749
Report Number(s):
LA-UR-17-30568
Journal Information:
Scientific Reports, Journal Name: Scientific Reports Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 9; ISSN 2045-2322
Publisher:
Nature Publishing GroupCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Figures / Tables (7)

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43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS