Laser-Driven Nuclear Physics (LDNP)

Powerful short-pulse laser facilities provide a unique opportunity to study fundamental nuclear physics that is not accessible otherwise. Laser-ion acceleration mechanisms enable the generation of multi-MeV ion beams with miniaturized targets, which is especially attractive for the creation of radioactive triton beams. This technique can be adapted to nuclear science experimentation, and has generated world-wide interest by the basic and applied nuclear science communities.  The powerful laser systems OMEGA and OMEGA-EP operating at the University of Rochester (UR), and ultimately NSF OPAL will play an important part in the development of a laser-accelerated triton beam platform with the goal of measuring cross sections of tritium-induced reactions at low energies. Very few measurements of these reactions have hitherto been made at any energy, even though tritium-induced reactions occur in all DT plasma thermonuclear fusion research, are critical for an understanding of both stellar and big-bang nucleosynthesis, and, as the lightest nucleus with two neutrons, can serve as a testbed for models of nuclear interactions and structure.

The image above shows the origin of the primordial elements: H, He, Li, and Be during big bang nucleosynthesis (BBN). Given the high abundances of tritium in the early Big Bang environment the strength of the subsequent ⁷Li(t,γ)¹⁰Be and ⁷Li(t,n)⁹Be reactions need to be investigated as possible solution of the Lithium problem.