Kinetic Modeling of Laser Induced Fusion
Abstract
Thermal neutrons are of considerable interest to the Department of Defense and for commercial applications. Unlike high-energy photons, neutrons easily penetrate high density targets, but get effectively absorbed by low density materials like paraffin, nylon or explosives. This makes them attractive complements to X-rays for radiographic applications, e.g. for the detection or inspection of explosives inside steel casings. The key challenge is to develop a compact generator for thermal neutrons with large enough flux. The limited availability of radio-isotopes, combined with the relatively short half-life, safety constraints and regulatory requirements make them unattractive for wide-spread use. An alternative design exploits the Deuterium-Tritium (D-T) fusion, which generates Alpha particles and fast neutrons. In these sources, Deuterium ions are accelerated to about 130 keV and hit a Tritium target. The acceleration of Deuterium ions is usually accomplished in a diode configuration. Recently, considerable success has been achieved in the acceleration of ions via laser-matter interaction. In this project we investigated whether laser-accelerated ions could undergo nuclear fusion in an adequately designed target and could be used for neutron sources. We therefore enhanced our proprietary plasma simulation code VORPAL with a model for fusion reactions and investigated the generation of neutrons in shaped D-T targets.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 01, 2007
- Accession Number
- ADA471750
Entities
People
- Jean Luc Cambier
- Kevin Paul
- Peter Messmer
- Peter Stoltz
Organizations
- Air Force Research Laboratory