Micro-scale fusion in dense relativistic nanowire array plasmas
| dc.contributor.author | Curtis, Alden, author | |
| dc.contributor.author | Calvi, Chase, author | |
| dc.contributor.author | Tinsley, James, author | |
| dc.contributor.author | Hollinger, Reed, author | |
| dc.contributor.author | Kaymak, Vural, author | |
| dc.contributor.author | Pukhov, Alexander, author | |
| dc.contributor.author | Wang, Shoujun, author | |
| dc.contributor.author | Rockwood, Alex, author | |
| dc.contributor.author | Wang, Yong, author | |
| dc.contributor.author | Shlyaptsev, Vyacheslav N., author | |
| dc.contributor.author | Rocca, Jorge J., author | |
| dc.contributor.author | Nature Research, publisher | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2020-04-28T18:38:16Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2020-04-28T18:38:16Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2018-03-14 | |
| dc.description.abstract | Nuclear fusion is regularly created in spherical plasma compressions driven by multi-kilojoule pulses from the world’s largest lasers. Here we demonstrate a dense fusion environment created by irradiating arrays of deuterated nanostructures with joule-level pulses from a compact ultrafast laser. The irradiation of ordered deuterated polyethylene nanowires arrays with femtosecond pulses of relativistic intensity creates ultra-high energy density plasmas in which deuterons (D) are accelerated up to MeV energies, efficiently driving D–D fusion reactions and ultrafast neutron bursts. We measure up to 2 × 106 fusion neutrons per joule, an increase of about 500 times with respect to flat solid targets, a record yield for joule-level lasers. Moreover, in accordance with simulation predictions, we observe a rapid increase in neutron yield with laser pulse energy. The results will impact nuclear science and high energy density research and can lead to bright ultrafast quasi-monoenergetic neutron point sources for imaging and materials studies. | |
| dc.format.medium | born digital | |
| dc.format.medium | articles | |
| dc.identifier.bibliographicCitation | Curtis, A., Calvi, C., Tinsley, J. et al. Micro-scale fusion in dense relativistic nanowire array plasmas. Nat Commun 9, 1077 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-018-03445-z | |
| dc.identifier.doi | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-018-03445-z | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://hdl.handle.net/10217/206008 | |
| dc.language | English | |
| dc.language.iso | eng | |
| dc.publisher | Colorado State University. Libraries | |
| dc.relation.ispartof | Faculty Publications | |
| dc.rights.license | This article is open access and distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0). | |
| dc.rights.uri | https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ | |
| dc.subject | laser-matter interactions | |
| dc.subject | high energy density plasmas | |
| dc.subject | neutron production | |
| dc.subject | plasma production | |
| dc.subject | neutron sources | |
| dc.subject | plasma diagnostics | |
| dc.subject | plasma accelerators | |
| dc.title | Micro-scale fusion in dense relativistic nanowire array plasmas | |
| dc.type | Text |
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