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Pré-Publication, Document De Travail Année : 2021

Numerical investigation of spallation neutrons generated from petawatt-scale laser-driven proton beams

S.N. Chen
  • Fonction : Auteur
S. Bolaños
  • Fonction : Auteur
N. Blanchot
  • Fonction : Auteur
G. Boutoux
  • Fonction : Auteur
W. Cayzac
  • Fonction : Auteur
C. Courtois
  • Fonction : Auteur
A. Duval
  • Fonction : Auteur
I. Lantuejoul
  • Fonction : Auteur
L. Le Deroff
  • Fonction : Auteur
P.E. Masson-Laborde
  • Fonction : Auteur
G. Sary
  • Fonction : Auteur
B. Vauzour
  • Fonction : Auteur
R. Smets
J. Fuchs

Résumé

Due to their high cost of acquisition and operation, there are still a limited number of high-yield, high-flux neutron source facilities worldwide. In this context, laser-driven neutron sources offer a promising, cheaper alternative to those based on large-scale accelerators, with, in addition, the potential of generating compact neutron beams of high brightness and ultra-short duration. In particular, the predicted capability of next-generation petawatt (PW)-class lasers to accelerate protons beyond the 100 MeV range should unlock efficient neutron generation through spallation reactions. In this paper, this scenario is investigated numerically through particle-in-cell and Monte Carlo simulations, modeling, respectively, the laser acceleration of protons from thin-foil targets and their subsequent conversion into neutrons in secondary heavy-ion targets. Laser parameters relevant to the 1 PW LMJ-PETAL and 1-10 PW Apollon systems are considered. Under such conditions, neutron fluxes exceeding $10^{23}\,\rm n\,cm^{-2}\,s^{-1}$ are predicted, opening up attractive fundamental and applicative prospects.

Dates et versions

hal-03260054 , version 1 (14-06-2021)

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B. Martinez, S.N. Chen, S. Bolaños, N. Blanchot, G. Boutoux, et al.. Numerical investigation of spallation neutrons generated from petawatt-scale laser-driven proton beams. 2021. ⟨hal-03260054⟩
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