Recent progress of laser-driven proton acceleration and proton-boron fusion in NCU 100-TW laser facility

Chih-Hao Pai^1*, Wei Lin¹, Tzu-Yao Huang¹, Shih-Wei Wang¹, Chen-Wei Chiang¹, Chun-Han Chen,¹, Shih-Fang Yang¹, Shih-Hung Chen¹, Cheng-Kung Huang¹, Hsu-hsin Chu¹

¹Department of Physics, National Central University, Taiwan

* Presenter:Chih-Hao Pai, email:chpai@phy.ncu.edu.tw

With the progress of high-peak-power lasers over the past few decades, research on high-field physics has made significant strides, particularly in laser-driven particle acceleration and fusion reactions. At the NCU 100-TW laser facility, based on our capabilities in fine-controlled laser-plasma interaction and in-situ diagnostics, we are developing laser-plasma proton acceleration using both solid and gas targets, as well as conducting a study on laser-driven proton-boron fusion reactions.
For the development of laser-plasma proton acceleration, diagnostics for the laser-accelerated particles have been developed and calibrated using laser acceleration in solid targets. An algorithm has been developed to measure the number and size of pits in etched CR-39 detectors, and a database of protons and ions has been set up. The responses of the scintillators to multi-MeV protons have been characterized to develop a real-time ion-energy spectrometer. These diagnostics are crucial for the development of laser-driven proton acceleration and proton-boron fusion. In parallel, we are developing laser-fabricated near-critical density plasmas in gas targets to optimize the efficiency of laser-driven particle acceleration. Such targets will enable us to gain control over the acceleration process and precisely characterize the plasma conditions required to advance laser-driven proton accelerators.
For the proton-boron fusion study, the development of laser-driven proton-boron fusion reactions will be investigated using two different schemes: the pitcher-catcher scheme and the in-target scheme. In the former scheme, the laser-driven proton beam will be optimized and then strike the boron target to initiate fusion. We are also developing cluster jets with the hydrogen-boron mixture suitable for p-B fusion. Various probing techniques will be incorporated to determine the condition of laser-plasma interactions in both schemes.

Keywords: high intensity laser, laser-plasma interaction, laser proton acceleration, proton boron fusion