Neutron production from interactions of high-intensity ultrashort pulse laser with a planar deuterated polyethylene target
- Naval Research Laboratory, Plasma Physics Division, 4555 Overlook Avenue SW, Washington, D.C. 20375 (United States)
The deuteron acceleration from a planar uniform deuterated polyethylene (CD{sub 2}) target was studied with a two-dimensional electromagnetic particle-in-cell method in the ultrarelativistic regime for peak laser intensities between 10{sup 23} and 10{sup 25} W/m{sup 2}. Under identical conditions the deuteron energy and angular distributions are very different when compared to that produced from a double-layer target. The neutron production from D(d,n)-{sup 3}He nuclear fusion reactions was also investigated with a three-dimensional Monte Carlo ion beam-target deposition model. The neutron yield and its angular distribution were studied as a function of peak laser intensity and laser pulse duration. A neutron yield of 10{sup 4}-10{sup 6} neutrons per Joule laser energy is inferred from simulations of a 4 {mu}m thick planar uniform CD{sub 2} target. The angular scattering of neutrons is found to be nonisotropic and has a significant component in the forward (laser propagation) direction.
- OSTI ID:
- 21268992
- Journal Information:
- Physics of Plasmas, Journal Name: Physics of Plasmas Journal Issue: 7 Vol. 15; ISSN PHPAEN; ISSN 1070-664X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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