A clear picture of laser-driven proton-boron nuclear reactions

Alpha particles have applications in several fields, including physics, industry, and sensing. They are also highly sought after for their uses in medical imaging and cancer treatment. Creating a source of alpha particles typically requires a cyclotron, and the resulting radioisotopes decay quickly, limiting their accessibility. As an alternative, a laser-driven proton-boron reaction can produce alpha particles without large, expensive equipment. However, the reaction is difficult to study and not well understood.

Huault et al. conducted an experimental campaign combined with numerical simulations to explore two proton-boron laser irradiation schemes, pitcher-catcher (PC) and direct irradiation (DI).

All proton-boron reactions are difficult to study experimentally, because the alpha particles are often camouflaged by other ions. In addition, DI schemes have no intermediate steps, and the target is ablated during the reaction, further increasing the difficulty. By studying both schemes with the same experimental setup, the researchers could calibrate their process with the simpler PC setup before collecting new data with DI.

“We relied on the PC configuration to validate the analysis procedure of our experimental data and our simulation parameters,” said author Marine Huault. “In a second step, using the same analysis processes and relying once again on our numerical tools, we were able to deepen the study of the acceleration process in DI.”

The authors hope the data they collected and the insights they gained will lead to a better understanding of proton-boron reactions and a more accessible source of alpha particles.

“We aim to produce radioisotopes in quantities suitable for separation using conventional extraction methods and medical use, bridging the gap between experimental physics and practical applications in healthcare,” said Huault.

Source: “Experimental and computational evaluation of alpha particle production from laser-driven proton-boron nuclear reaction in hole-boring scheme,” by M. Huault, T. Carriere, H. Larreur, Ph. Nicolaï, D. Raffestin, D. Singappuli, E. D’Humieres, D. Dubresson, K. Batani, M. Cipriani, F. Filippi, M. Sciscio, C. Verona, L. Giuffrida, V. Kantarelou, S. Stancek, N. Boudjema, R. Lera, J. A. Perez-Hernandez, L. Volpe, M. D. Rodríguez Frías, A. Bonasera, M. R. D. Rodrigues, D. Ramirez Chavez, F. Consoli, and D. Batani, Physics of Plasmas (2024). The article can be accessed at https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0238029 .