Abstract
Deutered polyethylene (CD2)n thin and thick targets were irradiated in high vacuum by infrared laser pulses at 1015W/cm2 intensity. The high laser energy transferred to the polymer generates plasma, expanding in vacuum at supersonic velocity, accelerating hydrogen and carbon ions. Deuterium ions at kinetic energies above 4 MeV have been measured by using ion collectors and SiC detectors in time-of-flight configuration. At these energies the deuterium–deuterium collisions may induce over threshold fusion effects, in agreement with the high D-D cross-section valuesaround 3 MeV energy. At the first instants of the plasma generation, during which high temperature, density and ionacceleration occur, the D-D fusions occur as confirmed by the detection of mono-energetic protonsand neutrons with a kinetic energy of 3.0 MeV and 2.5 MeV, respectively, produced by the nuclear reaction. The number of fusion events depends strongly on the experimental set-up, i.e. on the laser parameters (intensity, wavelength, focal spot dimension), target conditions (thickness, chemical composition, absorption coefficient, presence of secondary targets) and used geometry (incidence angle, laser spot, secondary target positions).A number of D-D fusion events of the order of 106÷7 per laser shot has been measured.
Highlights
The nuclear reactions between two nuclei of deuterons are generally accepted as playing crucial roles in recent observed nuclear processes and significant heat production in condensed matter
The measurements have determined, with an accuracy of the order of 15 %, the detection of 3.0 MeV protons and 2.5 MeV neutrons coming from the secondary targets irradiated by MeV deuterons accelerated by lasergenerated plasma
Proton detection occurs togheter fast deuterium ions, while neutron spectra show the coexistence of gamma-rays, as a consequence of the electron Bremsstrahlung
Summary
The nuclear reactions between two nuclei of deuterons are generally accepted as playing crucial roles in recent observed nuclear processes and significant heat production in condensed matter. By considering the possibility to achieve the D−D reaction through the injection into the plasma of deuterium ions, if results that the number of fusion events caused by the beam deuterons is too low to compensate for the energy expended on creating the plasma and the high energy ion beam, remains the possibility of increasing the efficiency of the D−D reaction. This can be done by using, directly or indirectly, the neutrons released in the D−D reaction [5]. This is the reason why different lasers with different pulse durations, wavelengths, focalization methods and pulse energy can be utilized
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