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Pulsed neutron beams are a valuable tool in nuclear physics, but their applications are strongly restricted by the limited number of neutron sources available worldwide [1]. These neutron beams, suitable for "time of flight" (TOF) experiments, can be characterized by their time resolution, the intensity per pulse, and the frequency or repetition rate.
In terms of neutron production, laser-driven ion sources are garnering the interest of the nuclear physics community due to the fast development of ultra-short (fs) and ultra-high power (> $10^{19}$ W/cm$^2$) lasers and their use as compact particle accelerators [2]. Neutrons produced using this alternative method can reach higher instantaneous neutron fluxes than conventional neutron sources [3-4]. Nevertheless, the potential use of these neutrons in nuclear physics applications relies on the behavior of nuclear physics detectors, which is still not characterized for the peculiarities of the harsh environment produced in a laser facility.
This work presents the results of a multiple detectors’ experimental campaign performed at the PW-class DRACO laser system at HZDR [5] during fall 2021. During this campaign, different detectors employed in conventional nuclear physics experiments were tested under a laser-driven neutron source. This set included lithium detectors for thermal and epithermal neutron detection, organic liquid and solid detectors for fast neutrons, diamond and silicon detectors for charged particles, and a neutron camera to study the possibilities of neutron imaging.
The experiment was performed under different neutron production configurations and also with and without moderation of the neutron flux. This systematic analysis based on the response of the different diagnostics allowed us to set an optimized setup to perform a dedicated time-of-flight measurement. The purpose of this experiment is to establish the viability of carrying out nuclear physics experiments in this type of neutron sources and to identify the advantages and disadvantages of this production method as opposed to conventional systems.
[1] INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY, Development Opportunities for Small and Medium Scale Accelerator Driven Neutron Sources – Report of a technical meeting held in Vienna, 18–21 May 2004, IAEA-TECDOC-1439, IAEA, Vienna (2005).
[2] Alejo A., Ahmed H., Green A. et al. Recent advances in laser-driven neutron sources. Il nuovo cimento 38 C, 188 (2015). 10.1393/ncc/i2015-15188-8
[3] Roth M., Jung D., Falk K. et al. Bright Laser-Driven Neutron Source Based on the Relativistic Transparency of Solids. Phys. Rev. Lett. 110, 044802 (2013). 10.1103/PhysRevLett.110.044802
[4] Guerrero C., Domingo-Pardo C., Käppeler F. et al. Prospects for direct neutron capture measurements on s-process branching point isotopes. Eur. Phys. J. A 53, 87 (2017). 10.1140/epja/i2017-12261-2
[5] Schramm U., Bussmann M., Irman A. et al. First results with the novel petawatt laser acceleration facility in Dresden. J. Phys.: Conf. Ser. 874, 012028 (2017). 10.1088/1742-6596/874/1/012028