Fusion neutron yield from high intensity laser-cluster interaction

Abstract

The fusion neutron yield from a compact neutron source is studied. Laser-irradiated deuterium clusters serve as a precursor of high-energy deuterium ions, which react with the walls of a fusion reaction chamber and produce copious amounts of neutrons in fusion reactions. The explosion of deuterium clusters with initial radius of 50−200Å irradiated by a subpicosecond laser with intensity of 1016W∕cm2 is examined theoretically. We studied the conversion efficiency of laser energy to ion kinetic energy, the mean and maximum ion kinetic energy, and ion energy distribution function by a molecular dynamics model. A yield of ∼105−106 neutrons/J is obtainable for a peak laser intensity of 1016−1017W∕cm2 and clusters with an initial radius of 200–400Å.