Micro-scale fusion in dense relativistic nanowire array plasmas
Abstract
Nuclear fusion is regularly created in spherical plasma compressions driven by multi-kilojoule pulses from the world’s largest lasers. Here we demonstrate a dense fusion environment created by irradiating arrays of deuterated nanostructures with joule-level pulses from a compact ultrafast laser. The irradiation of ordered deuterated polyethylene nanowires arrays with femtosecond pulses of relativistic intensity creates ultra-high energy density plasmas in which deuterons (D) are accelerated up to MeV energies, efficiently driving D–D fusion reactions and ultrafast neutron bursts. We measure up to 2 × 106 fusion neutrons per joule, an increase of about 500 times with respect to flat solid targets, a record yield for joule-level lasers. Moreover, in accordance with simulation predictions, we observe a rapid increase in neutron yield with laser pulse energy. The results will impact nuclear science and high energy density research and can lead to bright ultrafast quasi-monoenergetic neutron point sources for imaging and materials studies.
- Authors:
-
- Colorado State Univ., Fort Collins, CO (United States); Nevada National Security Site, Las Vegas, NV (United States)
- Colorado State Univ., Fort Collins, CO (United States)
- Nevada National Security Site, Las Vegas, NV (United States)
- Heinrich Heine Univ. Düsseldorf (Germany)
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- National Security Technologies, LLC. (NSTec), Las Vegas, NV (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Office of Defense Programs (DP); US Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1569858
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/NV/03624-0052
Journal ID: ISSN 2041-1723; TRN: US2001399
- Grant/Contract Number:
- AC52-06NA25946; NA0003624
- Resource Type:
- Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Name:
- Nature Communications
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Volume: 9; Journal Issue: 1; Related Information: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/8427080; Journal ID: ISSN 2041-1723
- Publisher:
- Nature Publishing Group
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY; fusion; deuterated nanostructures; high-density plasmas
Citation Formats
Curtis, Alden, Calvi, Chase, Tinsley, James, Hollinger, Reed, Kaymak, Vural, Pukhov, Alexander, Wang, Shoujun, Rockwood, Alex, Wang, Yong, Shlyaptsev, Vyacheslav N., and Rocca, Jorge J. Micro-scale fusion in dense relativistic nanowire array plasmas. United States: N. p., 2018.
Web. doi:10.1038/s41467-018-03445-z.
Curtis, Alden, Calvi, Chase, Tinsley, James, Hollinger, Reed, Kaymak, Vural, Pukhov, Alexander, Wang, Shoujun, Rockwood, Alex, Wang, Yong, Shlyaptsev, Vyacheslav N., & Rocca, Jorge J. Micro-scale fusion in dense relativistic nanowire array plasmas. United States. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-018-03445-z
Curtis, Alden, Calvi, Chase, Tinsley, James, Hollinger, Reed, Kaymak, Vural, Pukhov, Alexander, Wang, Shoujun, Rockwood, Alex, Wang, Yong, Shlyaptsev, Vyacheslav N., and Rocca, Jorge J. Wed .
"Micro-scale fusion in dense relativistic nanowire array plasmas". United States. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-018-03445-z. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1569858.
@article{osti_1569858,
title = {Micro-scale fusion in dense relativistic nanowire array plasmas},
author = {Curtis, Alden and Calvi, Chase and Tinsley, James and Hollinger, Reed and Kaymak, Vural and Pukhov, Alexander and Wang, Shoujun and Rockwood, Alex and Wang, Yong and Shlyaptsev, Vyacheslav N. and Rocca, Jorge J.},
abstractNote = {Nuclear fusion is regularly created in spherical plasma compressions driven by multi-kilojoule pulses from the world’s largest lasers. Here we demonstrate a dense fusion environment created by irradiating arrays of deuterated nanostructures with joule-level pulses from a compact ultrafast laser. The irradiation of ordered deuterated polyethylene nanowires arrays with femtosecond pulses of relativistic intensity creates ultra-high energy density plasmas in which deuterons (D) are accelerated up to MeV energies, efficiently driving D–D fusion reactions and ultrafast neutron bursts. We measure up to 2 × 106 fusion neutrons per joule, an increase of about 500 times with respect to flat solid targets, a record yield for joule-level lasers. Moreover, in accordance with simulation predictions, we observe a rapid increase in neutron yield with laser pulse energy. The results will impact nuclear science and high energy density research and can lead to bright ultrafast quasi-monoenergetic neutron point sources for imaging and materials studies.},
doi = {10.1038/s41467-018-03445-z},
journal = {Nature Communications},
number = 1,
volume = 9,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed Mar 14 00:00:00 EDT 2018},
month = {Wed Mar 14 00:00:00 EDT 2018}
}
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