Nucleosynthesis driven by Coulomb explosion within a single nanodroplet

作者：Last Isidore^*; Jortner Joshua

来源：Physical Review A, 2008, 77(3): 033201.

DOI：10.1103/PhysRevA.77.033201

We demonstrate that fusion and nucleosynthesis reactions between light and heavy nuclei driven by Coulomb explosion (CE) of nanodroplets will be dominated by intrananostructure collisions within a single, large heteronuclear nanodroplet (with initial radii of R(0)= 1000-3000 angstrom) in ultraintense, near-infrared laser fields (peak intensities of I(M)=10(20)-10(21) W cm(-2)). A computational and theoretical study of the yields of the intrananodroplet (3)T(d, n)(4) He fusion and (12)C(p, gamma) (13)N nucleosynthesis reactions driven by CE of (D(+) T(+))(n) and (C(6+)H(4)(+))(n) heteronuclear nanodroplets provides a manifestation of kinematic overrun effects. The (3)T(d, n)(4) He fusion yield of Y(INTRA) similar or equal to 200 per nanodroplet per laser pulse within a (DT)(n) nanodroplet (n=2 x 10(9), R(0) = 2700 angstrom) is sufficiently high to warrant experimental observation for a single nanodroplet. The (12)C(p, gamma) (13)N reaction yield within a (CH(4))(n) nanodroplet (n=3.9 x 10(8); R(0)= 1790 angstrom) is Y(INTRA) similar or equal to 4 x 10(-4) gamma rays per nano-droplet per laser pulse, so that this intrananodroplet nucleosynthesis is amenable to experimental observation only in an assembly of such nanodroplets. A striking manifestation is provided for the absence of kinematic overrun effects in CE of (C(6+)D(4)(+))(n) nanodroplets (with a kinematic parameter eta(DC)= 1), where intrananodroplet D(+)+C(6+) collisions and the (12)C(d, n)(13)N reaction are precluded. CE driven intrananodroplet nuclear reaction involves transient temporal confinement of the heavy nuclei on the 10-20 fs time scale, with the heavy nuclei subcluster acting as a target for the expanding light protons or deuterons.

• 出版日期2008-3