Nuclear fusion driven by Coulomb explosion of homonuclear and heteronuclear deuterium- and tritium-containing clusters - art. no. 063201

The ionization and Coulomb explosion of homonuclear D-n and T-n (n=959-8007 ) and heteronuclear (D2O)(n) and (T2O)(n) (n=459-2171) clusters in very int ense (I=5 x 10(14)-5 x 10(18)W cm(-2)) laser fields is,studied using classi cal dynamics simulations. The efficiency of the d + d and d - t nuclear fus ion driven by the Coulomb explosion (NFDCE) is explored. The d + d NFDCE of (DO), heteronuclear clusters is enhanced by energetic and kinematic effect s for D+, while for (T2O)(n) heteronuclear clusters the kinetic energy of T + is dominated by energetic effects. The cluster size dependence of the fus ion reaction yield has been established. The heteronuclear clusters provide considerably higher d + d and d + t fusion reaction yields than the homonu clear clusters of the same size. The clusters consisting of both D and T at oms can provide highly efficient d + t fusion reactions.