Generation of Mie Size Microdroplet Aerosols with Applications in Laser-Driven Fusion Experiments

Authors

Andrew P. Higginbotham '09, Harvey Mudd CollegeFollow
O. Semonin '06, Harvey Mudd CollegeFollow
S. Bruce '08, Harvey Mudd CollegeFollow
C. Chan '08, Harvey Mudd CollegeFollow
M. Maindi '07, Harvey Mudd CollegeFollow
Thomas D. Donnelly, Harvey Mudd CollegeFollow
M. Maurer, University of Texas at Austin
W. Bang, University of Texas at Austin
I. Churina, University of Texas at Austin
J. Osterholz, University of Texas at Austin
I. Kim, University of Texas at Austin
A. C. Bernstein, University of Texas at Austin
T. Ditmire, University of Texas at Austin

Student Co-author

HMC Undergraduate

Document Type

Article

Department

Physics (HMC)

Publication Date

6-2009

Abstract

We have developed a tunable source of Mie scale microdroplet aerosols that can be used for the generation of energetic ions. To demonstrate this potential, a terawatt Ti:Al₂O₃ laser focused to 2×10¹⁹ W/cm² was used to irradiate heavy water (D₂O) aerosols composed of micron-scale droplets. Energetic deuterium ions, which were generated in the laser-droplet interaction, produced deuterium-deuterium fusion with approximately 2×10³ fusion neutrons measured per joule of incident laser energy.

Comments

This article is also available from the American Institute of Physics at http://link.aip.org/link/doi/10.1063/1.3155302.

This article was named the "Research highlight" by RSI for June 2009

Rights Information

© 2009 American Institute of Physics

Terms of Use & License Information

Terms of Use for work posted in Scholarship@Claremont.

DOI

10.1063/1.3155302

Recommended Citation

A.P. Higginbotham, O. Semonin, S. Bruce, C. Chan, M. Maindi, M. Maurer, W. Bang, I. Churina, J. Osterholz, I. Kim, A.C. Bernstein, T. Ditmire, T. D. Donnelly, "Generation of Mie size microdroplet aerosols with applications in laser-driven fusion experiments," Rev Sci. Instrum., 80, (2009).