Study of Fusion Plasmas Produced in Laser-Cluster Fusion Experiments

Abstract

In this study, we investigate fusion plasmas from deuterium clusters using high-power lasers by calculating the ion temperature of the fusion plasma and neutron yield induced from the nuclear fusion processes. Utilizing the Coulomb explosion model and cluster size distribution, we derive the ion temperature of the fusion plasmas as a function of laser pulse intensity, comparing our results with experimental data. Also, using the cylindrical fusion plasma model, we calculate neutron yields as a function of laser pulse energy, ion temperature, and ion density, and compare them with previously reported experimental data. Then, we determine the scaling law of neutron yield with respect to laser energy, revealing that the neutron yield increases nearly linearly with laser energy for ion temperatures above 10 keV. Furthermore, we consider the potential use of deuterated solid targets for neutron yield enhancement. Finally, we introduce a method for calculating the response function of imaging plates to energetic ion beams generated by high-power lasers using the Monte Carlo simulation code, SRIM.