Searcharxiv⌕ Search
Home/Archive/arXiv

arXiv · 2610.38931

High-Repetition-Rate Laser-Driven Fast Neutron Generation from Planar Liquid Heavy Water Jets

F. Treffert·G. D. Glenn·C. B. Curry·D. P. DePonte·R. C. Hollinger·G. Jain·S. Popa·M. Ricks·J. J. Rocca·B. Sullivan·D. Ursescu·S. Wang·G. J. Williams·S. Zahedpour·S. H. Glenzer·M. Gauthier
View original source ↗Read source document ↗Export metadata ↓

Abstract

We demonstrate a high-repetition-rate, directional pitcher-catcher neutron source employing a continuously flowing, ambient-temperature liquid jet pitcher and a beryllium catcher target. Proton or deuteron beams are accelerated at 0.5 Hz from water (H$_{2}$O) or heavy water (D$_{2}$O) sheet jets using the $2ω$ ALEPH laser at Colorado State University. Deuteron-induced neutron generation shows an average flux enhancement in the target normal direction of 13x compared to proton-induced neutron generation, achieving peak fluxes of $7.9\times10^{5}$ neutrons/sr. The experimentally predicted ion-to-neutron conversion efficiency of 1.5$\times 10^{-5}$ for protons and 1.1$\times 10^{-3}$ for deuterons indicates a significant yield contribution from the deuteron breakup reaction. High shot-to-shot stability neutron spectra up to 8.7~MeV ($^9$Be(d,n)$^{10}$B) are observed for more than 200 consecutive shots.

Explore related subjects

physics.plasm-ph

Keep this discovery

Explore connections, maps & timelines

BibTeXRIS

F. Treffert, G. D. Glenn, C. B. Curry, D. P. DePonte, R. C. Hollinger, G. Jain, S. Popa, M. Ricks, J. J. Rocca, B. Sullivan, D. Ursescu, S. Wang, G. J. Williams, S. Zahedpour, S. H. Glenzer, M. Gauthier. 2026-10-28. High-Repetition-Rate Laser-Driven Fast Neutron Generation from Planar Liquid Heavy Water Jets. https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.38931

Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.

KEEP EXPLORING

Related papers

arXiv2026

Geodesic torsion of the magnetic field line and other predictors of coil non-planarity in QI stellarators

Stellarator magnetic fields are often realized with non-planar modular coils with their out-of-plane bending being one of the main engineering challenges. We ask whether the non planarity of the fialment can be predicted from the equilibrium alone. We look at a dataset of coils for stellarator equilibira and find that the geodesic torsion of the magnetic field line is a strong and robust predictor in a wide range of coil feasibility requirements. We compare the performance of the geodesic torsion against other equilibrium and surface geometry properties and find it to be a superior predictorv hardly replaceable by other quantities we considered in this dataset. The ranking it induces also reproduces the ordering of four published configurations --- precise QA, precise QI at nfp 2 and 3, and W7-X. Our conclusions suggest that geodesic torsion of the magnetic field line may be considered as a cheap and robust candidate for a stage-one non-planarity proxy.

physics.plasm-ph↗
arXiv2026

Linear-Stability-Guided Two-Stage Surrogate Model for Nonlinear ITG-TEM Turbulence

We develop a two-stage surrogate model framework to predict the linear and nonlinear properties of ITG-TEM turbulence from GENE gyrokinetic simulations. The first stage uses a hierarchical ensemble of stability and mode classifiers, along with global and mode-specific regressors, to predict the linear growth rate and real frequency. The second stage uses these predictions as linear spectra in a Fourier neural operator (FNO)-based nonlinear surrogate model. The nonlinear model predicts saturated potential and heat flux spectra, together with zonal flow quantities. Two linear drive scalars, the maximum and integral of the linear growth rate over a low-wavenumber range, are also supplied directly to the networks predicting scalar quantities. For the architecture studied here, comparisons with models omitting either or both input paths show that linear information can improve spectral and scalar predictions under extrapolation toward stronger linear drive.

physics.plasm-ph↗
arXiv2026

Magnetic shocks generated by two counterstreaming plasma jets induced by an intense femtosecond laser pulse

This work extends the investigation of magnetic control of counterstreaming laser-produced plasma jets reported in Zemskov et al. (2026), focusing on the experiments performed in the presence of a uniform 14 T magnetic field oriented transverse to the jet propagation. When generating plasma flows using 60-80 fs, 10-15 J pulses at the PEARL facility, we observe the formation of narrow, stationary layers with strong magnetic-field amplification and sharp plasma-density gradients in the interaction region. We interpret these features as the result of compressing the externally applied transverse field by the converging plasma ram pressure. The external magnetic field is advected and compressed until its magnetic pressure balances the decreasing ram pressure of the jets. Time-resolved interferometry, shadowgraphy, and Faraday polarimetry, combined with hybrid PIC--fluid simulations, reproduce the formation of a high-field barrier that decelerates and laterally redirects plasma flows while producing multiple density jumps. We discuss the astrophysical implications: the compression of an initially weak ambient field by converging flows provides an efficient, non-turbulent channel for magnetic-field amplification that can render interstellar magnetic fields dynamically important - a condition essential for diffusive shock acceleration in supernova remnants. Our experiments therefore establish a laboratory platform bridging externally magnetized and self-magnetized regimes and offer a complementary route to magnetic-field amplification in high-energy astrophysical shocks.

physics.plasm-ph↗