Numerical study of nuclear collisions induced by superintense ultrashort laser pulses incident on aligned molecules

Abstract

We propose a possible way to realize nuclear fusion, via an approach which involves aligned molecules. We compare results from quantum and classical simulations of two nuclei originating from an HT molecule moving under a superintense (field intensities approaching ${10}^{23}\text{ }\text{W}/{\text{cm}}^{2}$) and ultrashort (few-femtosecond, single-cycle) laser pulse. Classical simulations show that when the field is strong enough, it may make the nuclei collide with high kinetic energy needed to overcome the Coulomb barrier, therefore leading to fusion. A quantum-mechanical calculation solving the Schr\"odinger equation displays analogous behavior and reveals additional information about the wave packet evolution around the collision point.