TY - JOUR
T1 - High-current stream of energetic α particles from laser-driven proton-boron fusion
AU - Giuffrida, Lorenzo
AU - Belloni, Fabio
AU - Margarone, Daniele
AU - Petringa, Giada
AU - Milluzzo, Giuliana
AU - Scuderi, Valentina
AU - Velyhan, Andriy
AU - Rosinski, Marcin
AU - Picciotto, Antonino
AU - Kucharik, Milan
AU - Dostal, Jan
AU - Dudzak, Roman
AU - Krasa, Josef
AU - Istokskaia, Valeria
AU - Catalano, Roberto
AU - Tudisco, Salvatore
AU - Verona, Claudio
AU - Jungwirth, Karel
AU - Bellutti, Pierluigi
AU - Korn, Georg
AU - Cirrone, G. A.P.
PY - 2020/1/21
Y1 - 2020/1/21
N2 - The nuclear reaction known as proton-boron fusion has been triggered by a subnanosecond laser system focused onto a thick boron nitride target at modest laser intensity (∼1016W/cm2), resulting in a record yield of generated α particles. The estimated value of α particles emitted per laser pulse is around 1011, thus orders of magnitude higher than any other experimental result previously reported. The accelerated α-particle stream shows unique features in terms of kinetic energy (up to 10 MeV), pulse duration (∼10 ns), and peak current (∼2 A) at 1 m from the source, promising potential applications of such neutronless nuclear fusion reactions. We have used a beam-driven fusion scheme to explain the total number of α particles generated in the nuclear reaction. In this model, protons accelerated inside the plasma, moving forward into the bulk of the target, can interact with B11 atoms, thus efficiently triggering fusion reactions. An overview of literature results obtained with different laser parameters, experimental setups, and target compositions is reported and discussed.
AB - The nuclear reaction known as proton-boron fusion has been triggered by a subnanosecond laser system focused onto a thick boron nitride target at modest laser intensity (∼1016W/cm2), resulting in a record yield of generated α particles. The estimated value of α particles emitted per laser pulse is around 1011, thus orders of magnitude higher than any other experimental result previously reported. The accelerated α-particle stream shows unique features in terms of kinetic energy (up to 10 MeV), pulse duration (∼10 ns), and peak current (∼2 A) at 1 m from the source, promising potential applications of such neutronless nuclear fusion reactions. We have used a beam-driven fusion scheme to explain the total number of α particles generated in the nuclear reaction. In this model, protons accelerated inside the plasma, moving forward into the bulk of the target, can interact with B11 atoms, thus efficiently triggering fusion reactions. An overview of literature results obtained with different laser parameters, experimental setups, and target compositions is reported and discussed.
U2 - 10.1103/PhysRevE.101.013204
DO - 10.1103/PhysRevE.101.013204
M3 - Article
C2 - 32069635
AN - SCOPUS:85078871523
VL - 101
JO - Physical Review E Online
JF - Physical Review E Online
SN - 1539-3755
IS - 1
M1 - 013204
ER -