Neutron yields of nuclear reactions induced by ion acceleration in carbon-deuterated plasma produced by ultra-intense lasers

Abstract

Neutron yields of the nuclear reactions induced by accelerated deuterium or carbon ions when solid deuterated targets (CD or CD2) are irradiated by ultra-intense lasers have been investigated. The energies of the accelerated ions have been calculated at different laser intensities. Nuclear reactions that have threshold energies less than the maximum ion acceleration, in each case, have been studied in detail. The mechanisms of these reactions, at different ion energies, have been discussed and the relevant cross sections have been calculated to compare the neutron yield of each reaction with that of the fusion reaction D(d,n)3He. The study indicates that at a certain value of laser intensity, when the accelerated ion energy is sufficient, the energy spectrum of the neutron yields of the reactions D(d,np)D, 12C(d,n)13N, 12C(d,np)12C and D(12c,n)13N will overlap with the spectrum of the neutron yield of the D(d,n)3He reaction. Then, it is impossible to distinguish the different neutron yields experimentally despite the fact that the total neutron yield can be measured. However, by calculating the relative importance of the neutron yield of each reaction, the contribution of the fusion reaction to the total neutron yield can be estimated. Our calculations point out that the total neutron yield of the reactions 12C(d,n)13N and D(12c,n)13N can exceed the neutron yield of the D(d,n)3He reaction. Also, the total neutron yield of the breakup reactions D(d,np)D and 12C(d,np)12C is comparable with the neutron yield of the D(d,n)3He reaction and the produced neutrons will overlap the 2.45 MeV neutrons.