High-yield and high-angular-fluence neutron generation from deuterons accelerated by laser-driven collisionless shock
Abstract
Since a bright collimated neutron source is an essential tool for global security missions and fundamental scientific research. In this paper, we study a compact high-yield and high-angular-fluence neutron source particularly suitable for high-energy neutron applications utilizing the breakup reaction of laser-driven deuterons in a 9Be converter. The neutron generation scaling from such a reaction is used to guide the choice and optimization of the acceleration process for bulk ions in a low density CD2 foam. In particular, the collisionless shock acceleration mechanism is exploited with proper choice in the laser and target parameter space to accelerate these ions toward energies above the temperature of the distribution. Particle-in-cell and Monte Carlo simulations are coupled here to investigate this concept and possible adverse effects as well as the contribution from the surface ions accelerated and the optimal converter design. The simulation results indicated that our design can be a practical approach to increase both the neutron yield and angular fluence of laser-driven neutron sources, reaching >1011 neutron/pulse (or >108 neutron/J) and >1011 neutron/sr (or >108 neutron/sr/J) with present-day kJ-class high-power lasers. Such developments will advance fundamental neutron science, high precision radiography, and other global security applications with laser-driven sources.
- Authors:
-
[1];
[1];
[1];
[1];
[1];
[1];
[1]
- Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA); USDOE Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) Program
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1859902
- Alternate Identifier(s):
- OSTI ID: 1839320
- Report Number(s):
- LA-UR-21-30009
Journal ID: ISSN 0003-6951; TRN: US2305177
- Grant/Contract Number:
- 89233218CNA000001; 20180732ER; 20140483ER
- Resource Type:
- Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Name:
- Applied Physics Letters
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Volume: 120; Journal Issue: 2; Journal ID: ISSN 0003-6951
- Publisher:
- American Institute of Physics (AIP)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS; particle-in-cell method; neutron sources; neutron spectra[ neutron flux; Monte Carlo methods
Citation Formats
Huang, Chengkun, Broughton, David Paul, Palaniyappan, Sasikumar, Junghans, Sylvia Ann, Iliev, Metodi, Reinovsky, Robert Emil, and Favalli, Andrea. High-yield and high-angular-fluence neutron generation from deuterons accelerated by laser-driven collisionless shock. United States: N. p., 2022.
Web. doi:10.1063/5.0075960.
Huang, Chengkun, Broughton, David Paul, Palaniyappan, Sasikumar, Junghans, Sylvia Ann, Iliev, Metodi, Reinovsky, Robert Emil, & Favalli, Andrea. High-yield and high-angular-fluence neutron generation from deuterons accelerated by laser-driven collisionless shock. United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0075960
Huang, Chengkun, Broughton, David Paul, Palaniyappan, Sasikumar, Junghans, Sylvia Ann, Iliev, Metodi, Reinovsky, Robert Emil, and Favalli, Andrea. Tue .
"High-yield and high-angular-fluence neutron generation from deuterons accelerated by laser-driven collisionless shock". United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0075960. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1859902.
@article{osti_1859902,
title = {High-yield and high-angular-fluence neutron generation from deuterons accelerated by laser-driven collisionless shock},
author = {Huang, Chengkun and Broughton, David Paul and Palaniyappan, Sasikumar and Junghans, Sylvia Ann and Iliev, Metodi and Reinovsky, Robert Emil and Favalli, Andrea},
abstractNote = {Since a bright collimated neutron source is an essential tool for global security missions and fundamental scientific research. In this paper, we study a compact high-yield and high-angular-fluence neutron source particularly suitable for high-energy neutron applications utilizing the breakup reaction of laser-driven deuterons in a 9Be converter. The neutron generation scaling from such a reaction is used to guide the choice and optimization of the acceleration process for bulk ions in a low density CD2 foam. In particular, the collisionless shock acceleration mechanism is exploited with proper choice in the laser and target parameter space to accelerate these ions toward energies above the temperature of the distribution. Particle-in-cell and Monte Carlo simulations are coupled here to investigate this concept and possible adverse effects as well as the contribution from the surface ions accelerated and the optimal converter design. The simulation results indicated that our design can be a practical approach to increase both the neutron yield and angular fluence of laser-driven neutron sources, reaching >1011 neutron/pulse (or >108 neutron/J) and >1011 neutron/sr (or >108 neutron/sr/J) with present-day kJ-class high-power lasers. Such developments will advance fundamental neutron science, high precision radiography, and other global security applications with laser-driven sources.},
doi = {10.1063/5.0075960},
journal = {Applied Physics Letters},
number = 2,
volume = 120,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Jan 11 00:00:00 EST 2022},
month = {Tue Jan 11 00:00:00 EST 2022}
}
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