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Main Authors: Zhang, Yihang, Zhang, Zhe, Dong, Yufeng, Fang, Ke, Gu, Haochen, Dai, Yu, Qi, Wei, Deng, Zhigang, Zhang, Xiaohui, Yang, Lei, Lu, Feng, Huang, Zheng, Zhou, Kainan, Wu, Yuchi, Zhou, Weimin, Liu, Feng, Zhang, Guoqiang, Li, Bingjun, Zhao, Xu, Yuan, Xiaohui, Wang, Chen, Li, Yutong
Format: Preprint
Published: 2024
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Online Access:https://arxiv.org/abs/2401.07253
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author Zhang, Yihang
Zhang, Zhe
Dong, Yufeng
Fang, Ke
Gu, Haochen
Dai, Yu
Qi, Wei
Deng, Zhigang
Zhang, Xiaohui
Yang, Lei
Lu, Feng
Huang, Zheng
Zhou, Kainan
Wu, Yuchi
Zhou, Weimin
Liu, Feng
Zhang, Guoqiang
Li, Bingjun
Zhao, Xu
Yuan, Xiaohui
Wang, Chen
Li, Yutong
author_facet Zhang, Yihang
Zhang, Zhe
Dong, Yufeng
Fang, Ke
Gu, Haochen
Dai, Yu
Qi, Wei
Deng, Zhigang
Zhang, Xiaohui
Yang, Lei
Lu, Feng
Huang, Zheng
Zhou, Kainan
Wu, Yuchi
Zhou, Weimin
Liu, Feng
Zhang, Guoqiang
Li, Bingjun
Zhao, Xu
Yuan, Xiaohui
Wang, Chen
Li, Yutong
contents Aneutronic and nonradioactive properties make the proton-boron fusion a prospective candidate for fusion energy production through reactions following p+$^{11}$B$\rightarrow$3$α$ (p-$^{11}$B). However, it is difficult to achieve a thermal fusion ignition, since the low reaction cross-sections for center-of-mass energy below $\sim$100 keV. To realize fusion energy gain, it is essential to consider utilization of the maximum cross-section at the resonant peak of p-$^{11}$B fusion, and explore the nuclear reactions in plasma environment. In this work, p-$^{11}$B reactions triggered by interactions between energetic proton beams and laser-ablated boron plasma have been investigated. More than 200 times enhancement of $α$ particle emission efficiency (number ratio of escaping $α$ particles and boron nuclei) in plasma has been observed, compared with the cold boron. The proton beam transport path modulated by strong electro-magnetic fields in plasma could dominate the enhanced $α$ particle generation, due to a longer collisional length. In addition, an $α$ particle yield up to 1$\times$10$^{10}$ /sr has been measured via the pitcher-catcher scheme in plasma. This work could benefit understanding of the plasma effects on nuclear reaction dynamics, and also enable opportunities to explore physics in laser fusion associated with advanced fusion fuels.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2401_07253
institution arXiv
publishDate 2024
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Enhanced α particle generation via proton-boron fusion reactions in laser-modulated plasma
Zhang, Yihang
Zhang, Zhe
Dong, Yufeng
Fang, Ke
Gu, Haochen
Dai, Yu
Qi, Wei
Deng, Zhigang
Zhang, Xiaohui
Yang, Lei
Lu, Feng
Huang, Zheng
Zhou, Kainan
Wu, Yuchi
Zhou, Weimin
Liu, Feng
Zhang, Guoqiang
Li, Bingjun
Zhao, Xu
Yuan, Xiaohui
Wang, Chen
Li, Yutong
Plasma Physics
Aneutronic and nonradioactive properties make the proton-boron fusion a prospective candidate for fusion energy production through reactions following p+$^{11}$B$\rightarrow$3$α$ (p-$^{11}$B). However, it is difficult to achieve a thermal fusion ignition, since the low reaction cross-sections for center-of-mass energy below $\sim$100 keV. To realize fusion energy gain, it is essential to consider utilization of the maximum cross-section at the resonant peak of p-$^{11}$B fusion, and explore the nuclear reactions in plasma environment. In this work, p-$^{11}$B reactions triggered by interactions between energetic proton beams and laser-ablated boron plasma have been investigated. More than 200 times enhancement of $α$ particle emission efficiency (number ratio of escaping $α$ particles and boron nuclei) in plasma has been observed, compared with the cold boron. The proton beam transport path modulated by strong electro-magnetic fields in plasma could dominate the enhanced $α$ particle generation, due to a longer collisional length. In addition, an $α$ particle yield up to 1$\times$10$^{10}$ /sr has been measured via the pitcher-catcher scheme in plasma. This work could benefit understanding of the plasma effects on nuclear reaction dynamics, and also enable opportunities to explore physics in laser fusion associated with advanced fusion fuels.
title Enhanced α particle generation via proton-boron fusion reactions in laser-modulated plasma
topic Plasma Physics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2401.07253