Laser-driven neutron sources are routinely produced by the interaction of laser-accelerated protons with a converter. They present complementary characteristics to those of conventional accelerator-based neutron sources (e.g. short pulse durations, enabling novel applications like radiography). We present here results from an experiment aimed at performing a global characterization of the neutrons produced using the Titan laser at the Jupiter Laser Facility (Livermore, USA), where protons were accelerated from 23 $$\mathrm {\mu }$$ m thick plastic targets and directed onto a LiF converter to produce neutrons. For this purpose, several diagnostics were used to measure these neutron emissions, such as CR-39, activation foils, time-of-flight detectors and direct measurement of $$^7{\rm Be}$$ residual activity in the LiF converters. The use of these different, independently operating diagnostics enables comparison of the various measurements performed to provide a robust characterization. These measurements led to a neutron yield of $$2.0\times 10^{9}$$ neutrons per shot with a modest angular dependence, close to that simulated.
Higginson, D. P., et al. "Global characterization of a laser-generated neutron source." Journal of Plasma Physics, vol. 90, no. 3, Jun. 2024. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0022377824000618
Higginson, D. P., Lelièvre, R., Vassura, L., Gugiu, M. M., Borghesi, M., Bernstein, L. A., Bleuel, D. L., Goldblum, B. L., Green, A., Hannachi, F., Kar, S., Kisyov, S., Quentin, L., Schroer, M., Tarisien, M., Willi, O., Antici, P., Negoita, F., Allaoua, A., & Fuchs, J. (2024). Global characterization of a laser-generated neutron source. Journal of Plasma Physics, 90(3). https://doi.org/10.1017/S0022377824000618
Higginson, D. P., Lelièvre, R., Vassura, L., et al., "Global characterization of a laser-generated neutron source," Journal of Plasma Physics 90, no. 3 (2024), https://doi.org/10.1017/S0022377824000618
@article{osti_2369755,
author = {Higginson, D. P. and Lelièvre, R. and Vassura, L. and Gugiu, M. M. and Borghesi, M. and Bernstein, L. A. and Bleuel, D. L. and Goldblum, B. L. and Green, A. and Hannachi, F. and others},
title = {Global characterization of a laser-generated neutron source},
annote = { Laser-driven neutron sources are routinely produced by the interaction of laser-accelerated protons with a converter. They present complementary characteristics to those of conventional accelerator-based neutron sources (e.g. short pulse durations, enabling novel applications like radiography). We present here results from an experiment aimed at performing a global characterization of the neutrons produced using the Titan laser at the Jupiter Laser Facility (Livermore, USA), where protons were accelerated from 23 $\mathrm {\mu }$ m thick plastic targets and directed onto a LiF converter to produce neutrons. For this purpose, several diagnostics were used to measure these neutron emissions, such as CR-39, activation foils, time-of-flight detectors and direct measurement of $^7{\rm Be}$ residual activity in the LiF converters. The use of these different, independently operating diagnostics enables comparison of the various measurements performed to provide a robust characterization. These measurements led to a neutron yield of $2.0\times 10^{9}$ neutrons per shot with a modest angular dependence, close to that simulated. },
doi = {10.1017/S0022377824000618},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/2369755},
journal = {Journal of Plasma Physics},
issn = {ISSN 0022-3778},
number = {3},
volume = {90},
place = {United Kingdom},
publisher = {Cambridge University Press (CUP)},
year = {2024},
month = {06}}
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
European Research Council (ERC); USDOE; USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA); USDOE Office of Science (SC)
Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, Vol. 506, Issue 3https://doi.org/10.1016/S0168-9002(03)01368-8
Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, Vol. 424, Issue 1https://doi.org/10.1016/S0168-9002(98)01322-9
Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, Vol. 575, Issue 3https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nima.2007.02.085