NEUTRON-PRODUCTION BY 200 MJ ULTRASHORT LASER-PULSES

Authors
PRETZLER G SAEMANN A PUKHOV A RUDOLPH D SCHATZ T SCHRAMM U THIROLF P HABS D EIDMANN K TSAKIRIS GD MEYERTERVEHN J WITTE KJ
Citation
G. Pretzler et al., NEUTRON-PRODUCTION BY 200 MJ ULTRASHORT LASER-PULSES, Physical review. E, Statistical physics, plasmas, fluids, and related interdisciplinary topics, 58(1), 1998, pp. 1165-1168
Citations number
22
Categorie Soggetti
Physycs, Mathematical","Phsycs, Fluid & Plasmas
Journal title
Physical review. E, Statistical physics, plasmas, fluids, and related interdisciplinary topics → ACNP
ISSN journal
1063651X
Volume
58
Issue
1
Year of publication
1998
Pages
1165 - 1168
Database
ISI
SICI code
1063-651X(1998)58:1<1165:NB2MUL>2.0.ZU;2-2
Abstract
We report the observation of neutrons rf:leased from d(d,n) He-3 fusio n reactions in the focus of 200 mJ, 160 fs Ti:sapphire laser pulses on a deuterated polyethylene target. Optimizing the fast electron and io n generation by applying a well-defined prepulse led to an average rat e of 140 neutrons per shot. Furthermore, the production of a substanti al number of MeV gamma rays could be observed. The occurrence of neutr ons and gamma rays is attributed to the formation and explosion of a r elativistic plasma channel in the laser focus, which is confirmed by n umerical calculations.