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Giuffrida L, Belloni F, Margarone D, Petringa G, Milluzzo G, Scuderi V, Velyhan A, Rosinski M, Picciotto A, Kucharik M, Dostal J, Dudzak R, Krasa J, Istokskaia V, Catalano R, Tudisco S, Verona C, Jungwirth K, Bellutti P, Korn G, Cirrone GAP. High-current stream of energetic α particles from laser-driven proton-boron fusion. Phys Rev E 2020; 101:013204. [PMID: 32069635 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.101.013204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2019] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
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 (∼10^{16}W/cm^{2}), resulting in a record yield of generated α particles. The estimated value of α particles emitted per laser pulse is around 10^{11}, 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 ^{11}B 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.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorenzo Giuffrida
- Institute of Physics ASCR, v.v.i (FZU), ELI-Beamlines, 182 21, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Fabio Belloni
- European Commission, Directorate-General for Research and Innovation, Euratom Research, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Daniele Margarone
- Institute of Physics ASCR, v.v.i (FZU), ELI-Beamlines, 182 21, Prague, Czech Republic
| | | | | | - Valentina Scuderi
- Institute of Physics ASCR, v.v.i (FZU), ELI-Beamlines, 182 21, Prague, Czech Republic.,Laboratori Nazionali del Sud, INFN, Catania, Italy
| | - Andriy Velyhan
- Institute of Physics ASCR, v.v.i (FZU), ELI-Beamlines, 182 21, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Marcin Rosinski
- Institute of Plasma Physics and Laser Microfusion, 01-497 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Antonino Picciotto
- Micro-Nano Facility, Center for Materials and Microsystems, Fondazione Bruno Kessler, Trento, Italy
| | - Milan Kucharik
- Czech Technical University in Prague, Faculty of Nuclear Sciences and Physical Engineering, 115 19 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Dostal
- Institute of Plasma Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague 8, 182 00 Czech Republic.,Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague 8, 182 21 Czech Republic
| | - Roman Dudzak
- Institute of Plasma Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague 8, 182 00 Czech Republic.,Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague 8, 182 21 Czech Republic
| | - Josef Krasa
- Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague 8, 182 21 Czech Republic
| | - Valeria Istokskaia
- Institute of Physics ASCR, v.v.i (FZU), ELI-Beamlines, 182 21, Prague, Czech Republic.,Czech Technical University in Prague, Faculty of Nuclear Sciences and Physical Engineering, 115 19 Prague, Czech Republic
| | | | | | - Claudio Verona
- INFN-Dipartimento di Ingegneria Industriale, Università di Roma 'Tor Vergata,' Rome, Italy
| | - Karel Jungwirth
- Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague 8, 182 21 Czech Republic
| | - Pierluigi Bellutti
- Micro-Nano Facility, Center for Materials and Microsystems, Fondazione Bruno Kessler, Trento, Italy
| | - Georg Korn
- Institute of Physics ASCR, v.v.i (FZU), ELI-Beamlines, 182 21, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - G A P Cirrone
- Institute of Physics ASCR, v.v.i (FZU), ELI-Beamlines, 182 21, Prague, Czech Republic.,Laboratori Nazionali del Sud, INFN, Catania, Italy
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Prokůpek J, Kaufman J, Margarone D, Krůs M, Velyhan A, Krása J, Burris-Mog T, Busold S, Deppert O, Cowan TE, Korn G. Development and first experimental tests of Faraday cup array. THE REVIEW OF SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS 2014; 85:013302. [PMID: 24517754 DOI: 10.1063/1.4859496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
A new type of Faraday cup, capable of detecting high energy charged particles produced in a high intensity laser-matter interaction environment, has recently been developed and demonstrated as a real-time detector based on the time-of-flight technique. An array of these Faraday cups was designed and constructed to cover different observation angles with respect to the target normal direction. Thus, it allows reconstruction of the spatial distribution of ion current density in the subcritical plasma region and the ability to visualise its time evolution through time-of-flight measurements, which cannot be achieved with standard laser optical interferometry. This is a unique method for two-dimensional visualisation of ion currents from laser-generated plasmas. A technical description of the new type of Faraday cup is introduced along with an ad hoc data analysis procedure. Experimental results obtained during campaigns at the Petawatt High-Energy Laser for Heavy Ion Experiments (GSI, Darmstadt) and at the Prague Asterix Laser System (AS CR) are presented. Advantages and limitations of the used diagnostic system are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Prokůpek
- Institute of Physics of the AS CR, v. v. i., ELI-Beamlines Project, Na Slovance 2, 182 21 Prague 8, Czech Republic
| | - J Kaufman
- Faculty of Nuclear Sciences and Physical Engineering, Czech Technical University in Prague, Břehová 7, 115 19 Prague 1, Czech Republic
| | - D Margarone
- Institute of Physics of the AS CR, v. v. i., ELI-Beamlines Project, Na Slovance 2, 182 21 Prague 8, Czech Republic
| | - M Krůs
- Institute of Physics of the AS CR, v. v. i., ELI-Beamlines Project, Na Slovance 2, 182 21 Prague 8, Czech Republic
| | - A Velyhan
- Institute of Physics of the AS CR, v. v. i., ELI-Beamlines Project, Na Slovance 2, 182 21 Prague 8, Czech Republic
| | - J Krása
- Institute of Physics of the AS CR, v. v. i., ELI-Beamlines Project, Na Slovance 2, 182 21 Prague 8, Czech Republic
| | - T Burris-Mog
- Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), Bautzner Landstraße 400, D-01328 Dresden, Germany
| | - S Busold
- Technische Universität Darmstadt (TUD), Schlossgartenstraße 9, D-64289 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - O Deppert
- Technische Universität Darmstadt (TUD), Schlossgartenstraße 9, D-64289 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - T E Cowan
- Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), Bautzner Landstraße 400, D-01328 Dresden, Germany
| | - G Korn
- Institute of Physics of the AS CR, v. v. i., ELI-Beamlines Project, Na Slovance 2, 182 21 Prague 8, Czech Republic
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Margarone D, Krasa J, Prokupek J, Velyhan A, Torrisi L, Picciotto A, Giuffrida L, Gammino S, Cirrone P, Cutroneo M, Romano F, Serra E, Mangione A, Rosinski M, Parys P, Ryc L, Limpouch J, Laska L, Jungwirth K, Ullschmied J, Mocek T, Korn G, Rus B. New methods for high current fast ion beam production by laser-driven acceleration. THE REVIEW OF SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS 2012; 83:02B307. [PMID: 22380286 DOI: 10.1063/1.3669796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
An overview of the last experimental campaigns on laser-driven ion acceleration performed at the PALS facility in Prague is given. Both the 2 TW, sub-nanosecond iodine laser system and the 20 TW, femtosecond Ti:sapphire laser, recently installed at PALS, are used along our experiments performed in the intensity range 10(16)-10(19) W∕cm(2). The main goal of our studies was to generate high energy, high current ion streams at relatively low laser intensities. The discussed experimental investigations show promising results in terms of maximum ion energy and current density, which make the laser-accelerated ion beams a candidate for new-generation ion sources to be employed in medicine, nuclear physics, matter physics, and industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Margarone
- Institute of Physics, ASCR, v.v.i.; PALS Centre, Prague, Czech Republic.
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