Experimental demonstration of a compact epithermal neutron source based on a high power laser

Mirfayzi, S. R.; Alejo, A.; Ahmed, H.; Raspino, D.; Ansell, S.; Wilson, L. A.; Armstrong, Chris; Butler, N. M. H.; Clarke, R. J.; Higginson, A.; Kelleher, J.; Murphy, Christopher; Notley, M.; Rusby, Dean; Schooneveld, E.M.; Borghesi, M.; McKenna, P.; Rhodes, N.J.; Neely, D.; Brenner, C. M.; Kar, S.

doi:10.1063/1.4994161

Cited by 46 publications

(29 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…Moderated neutrons are generally categorized in terms of energy with fast (>100 keV), epithermal (0.5 eV -100 keV) 38 , thermal (25 meV) 38 , and cold reaching ≤ 25 meV. The epithermal neutrons are of high interest for a wide range of applications related to condensed matter such as Deep Inelastic Neutron Scattering (DINS) 39 , Neutron Resonance Absorption (NRA) 40 , nucleosynthesis processes of astrophysical relevance 41 and Boron Neutron Capture Therapy(BNCT) 42 .…”

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confidence: 99%

Proof-of-principle experiment for laser-driven cold neutron source

Mirfayzi

Yogo

Lan

et al. 2020

Sci Rep

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The scientific and technical advances continue to support novel discoveries by allowing scientists to acquire new insights into the structure and properties of matter using new tools and sources. Notably, neutrons are among the most valuable sources in providing such a capability. At the Institute of Laser Engineering, Osaka, the first steps are taken towards the development of a table-top laser-driven neutron source, capable of producing a wide range of energies with high brightness and temporal resolution. By employing a pure hydrogen moderator, maintained at cryogenic temperature, a cold neutron ($$\le 25\hbox { meV}$$ ≤ 25 meV ) flux of $$\sim 2\times 10^3\hbox { n/cm}^2$$ ∼ 2 × 10 3 n/cm 2 /pulse was measured at the proximity of the moderator exit surface. The beam duration of hundreds of ns to tens of $$\upmu \hbox {s}$$ μ s is evaluated for neutron energies ranging from 100s keV down to meV via Monte-Carlo techniques. Presently, with the upcoming J-EPoCH high repetition rate laser at Osaka University, a cold neutron flux in orders of $$\sim 1\times 10^{9}\hbox { n/cm}^2/\hbox {s}$$ ∼ 1 × 10 9 n/cm 2 / s is expected to be delivered at the moderator in a compact beamline.

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confidence: 99%

Proof-of-principle experiment for laser-driven cold neutron source

Mirfayzi

Yogo

Lan

et al. 2020

Sci Rep

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“…In order to make the proposed scheme work properly without prematurely expansion of the tube wall, a laser contrast of 10 10 is required, which is available by using the plasma mirrors [58,59]. Moreover, though the energy spread has a certain broadening as shock propagates a long distance [53] in our scheme, we obtained proton beams with large particle numbers that are preferable for many applications that require high flux, such as laser-driven neutron sources [7] and isochoric heating of matter [8]. Even for the applications needing small energy spread, proton beams with satisfying energy spread can be chosen by using energy selection devices such as magnetic and/or electrostatic lenses [60,61].…”

Section: Summary and Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Laser-driven ion acceleration [1,2] has attracted considerable interest due to its potential for production of compact energetic ion sources with unique characteristics such as short temporal duration and small emittance. The enabling sources have prospective applications in biomedicine [3,4], fusion energy [5], nuclear physics [6,7] and high-energy-density science [8,9]. However, many of these applications require high-quality ion beams with simultaneous high ion energies and high beam fluxes, in particular, for applications such as radiographic density diagnosis, probing highly transient electromagnetic fields in plasmas, and isochoric heating of matter.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

High-flux high-energy ion beam production from stable collisionless shock acceleration by intense petawatt-picosecond laser pulses

Qiao

Shen

et al. 2019

New J. Phys.

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A scheme to achieve stable collisionless shock acceleration (CSA) of ions from a near-critical plasma by intense petawatt-picosecond laser pulses is proposed, where the plasma is confined in a high-Z solid tube. The application of the tube, on the one hand, restrains the plasma from transverse thermal expansion, helping to sustain sufficient density steepening required for shock formation and maintenance; on the other hand, due to the induced sheath field along its wall, pinches hot electrons for recirculation near laser axis, aiding to reach efficient plasma heating that is crucial to have a strong shock velocity for ion reflection. Consequently, stable ion CSA can be maintained for picosecond time scales, resulting in production of high-flux high-energy ion beams. Two-dimensional PIC simulations show that proton beams with narrow energy spread between 50 and 80 MeV and high flux with particle number about 10 12 are produced by a laser pulse at intensity 8.8×10 19 W cm −2 and duration 1 ps. By extending the pulse duration to 3 ps, over 100 MeV high-flux proton beams are obtained.

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“…Laser-driven neutron sources have potential advantages over conventional reactor-or accelerator-based sources in term of cost, compactness, and short duration for applications such as neutron resonance spectroscopy, fast neutron radiography and material testing [106]. Recently, the moderation of MeV laser-produced neutrons to epithermal energies (eV-100 KeV) has been demonstrated [107], which can in principle open up a broader range of applications in neutron science, provided sufficient neutron fluxes can be obtained on next generation laser-systems.…”

Section: Neutron Generationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ion Acceleration: TNSA and Beyond

Borghesi

2019

Springer Proceedings in Physics

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This paper reviews experimental progress in laser-driven ion acceleration as well as discussing some of the current and foreseen applications employing laser-accelerated beams of ions. While sheath acceleration processes initiated by high-intensity irradiation of solid foils (the so-called target Normal Sheath Acceleration, TNSA) have now been studied for more than two decades, novel processes which can accelerate ions from the bulk of the irradiated target have emerged more recently. We will summarize the basic physics behind all these mechanisms, as well as briefly reporting current experimental evidence.

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Experimental demonstration of a compact epithermal neutron source based on a high power laser

Cited by 46 publications

References 24 publications

Proof-of-principle experiment for laser-driven cold neutron source

Proof-of-principle experiment for laser-driven cold neutron source

High-flux high-energy ion beam production from stable collisionless shock acceleration by intense petawatt-picosecond laser pulses

Ion Acceleration: TNSA and Beyond

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