Compact neutron source from head-on collision of high energy density plasma jets

We propose a new scheme to generate a neutron source with a short duration, and the scheme is validated in two-dimensional radiation hydrodynamic simulations. When a laser beam irradiates a deuterated polystyrene cone with a half-opening angle of 60 & DEG; , high energy density plasma jets are produced due to the converging effect. As two laser-driven counter-propagating jets collide in a head-on configuration, the kinetic energy converts into internal energy efficiently, inducing a significant increase in density and temperature. Then, deuteron-deuteron thermonuclear reactions are triggered, and plenty of neutrons are released. The simulation results show that the total neutron yield is as high as 6.6 x 10 8 with a duration of 103 ps, providing a new way to achieve ultrafast diagnosis with high resolution in experiments.