Energetic deuterium-ion beams and neutron source driven by multiple-laser interaction with pitcher-catcher target

Multiple lasers interacting with a deuterated (D) pitcher-catcher target and neutron generation are investigated using two-dimensional hybrid particle-in-cell and Monte Carlo simulations. It is found that when multiple laser pulses are focused on the front surface of the pitcher layer, D+ ion acceleration by target normal sheath acceleration (TNSA) is enhanced by the interfering overlapped light fields and the resulting periodic target-surface structure. With three laser pulses each of 4.5×1019 W/cm2 intensity, 33 fs duration and ~160 mJ energy, focusing at suitable angles on the pitcher layer, one can obtain 15 MeV D+ ions and ~25% laser-to-D+ ions energy conversion efficiency. As the resulting high-energy-density D+ ions bombard the catcher layer, D-D fusion reactions are triggered. About 3.6×107 neutrons can be produced, with the maximum neutron production rate as high as 3.1×1036 m-3s-1, almost an order of magnitude higher than that from a single laser of the same total energy.