A miniature thermal neutron source using high power lasers
S. R. Mirfayzi, H. Ahmed, D. Doria, A. Alejo, S. Ansell, R. J. Clarke, Bruno González-Izquierdo, Prokopis Hadjisolomou, R. Heathcote, Tom Hodge, Philip Martin, D. Raspino, Erik Schooneveld, P. McKenna, N. J. Rhodes, D. Neely, M. Borghesi, S. Kar
Abstract
The continuous improvement of high power laser technologies is recasting the prospects of small-scale neutron sources to enable scientific communities and industries performing experiments that are currently offered at extensive accelerator-driven facilities. This paper reports moderation of laser-driven fast neutrons to thermal energies using a compact, modular, moderator assembly. A significant thermal (∼25 meV) flux of ∼106 n/sr/pulse was measured from water and plastic moderators in a proof-of-principle experiment employing a relatively moderate power laser delivering 200 J on the target in 10 ps. Using Monte Carlo N-Particle eXtended simulations, the experimental results are reproduced and discussed.