Micro-size picosecond-duration fast neutron source driven by a laser-plasma wakefield electron accelerator  

作　　者：Yaojun Li Jie Feng Wenzhao Wang Junhao Tan Xulei Ge Feng Liu Wenchao Yan Guoqiang Zhang Changbo Fu Liming Chen 

机构地区：[1]Key Laboratory of Laser Plasma(MoE),School of Physics and Astronomy,Shanghai Jiao Tong University,Shanghai,China [2]IFSA Collaborative Innovation Center,Shanghai Jiao Tong University,Shanghai,China [3]Shanghai Advanced Research Institute,Chinese Academy of Sciences,Shanghai,China [4]Key Laboratory of Nuclear Physics and Ion-beam Application(MoE),Institute of Modern Physics,Fudan University,Shanghai,China

出　　处：《High Power Laser Science and Engineering》2022年第5期57-64,共8页高功率激光科学与工程（英文版）

基　　金：supported by the Science Challenge Project(No.TZ2018005);the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.11875191,11991073,11890710,and 11721404);the Strategic Priority Research Program of the CAS(Nos.XDB1602 and XDA01020304);the Key Program of CAS(Nos.XDA01020304 and XDB17030500);the National Key R&D Program of China(No.2017YFA0403301)。

摘　　要：A pulsed fast neutron source is critical for applications of fast neutron resonance radiography and fast neutron absorption spectroscopy.However,due to the large transversal source size(of the order of mm)and long pulse duration(of the order of ns)of traditional pulsed fast neutron sources,it is difficult to realize high-contrast neutron imaging with high spatial resolution and a fine absorption spectrum.Here,we experimentally present a micro-size ultra-short pulsed neutron source by a table-top laser-plasma wakefield electron accelerator driving a photofission reaction in a thin metal converter.A fast neutron source with source size of approximately 500μm and duration of approximately 36 ps has been driven by a tens of MeV,collimated,micro-size electron beam via a hundred TW laser facility.This micro-size ultra-short pulsed neutron source has the potential to improve the energy resolution of a fast neutron absorption spectrum dozens of times to,for example,approximately 100 eV at 1.65 MeV,which could be of benefit for high-quality fast neutron imaging and deep understanding of the theoretical model of neutron physics.

关 键 词：fast neutrons high-power laser laser wakefield acceleration photofission reaction 

分 类 号：TN24[电子电信—物理电子学]