Cluster dynamics transcending chemical dynamics toward nuclear fusion

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Abstract
Ultrafast cluster dynamics encompasses femtosecond nuclear dynamics, attosecond electron dynamics, and electron-nuclear dynamics in ultraintense laser fields (peak intensities 1015–1020 W·cm−2). Extreme cluster multielectron ionization produces highly charged cluster ions, e.g., (C4+(D+)4) n and (D+I22+) n at I M = 1018 W·cm−2, that undergo Coulomb explosion (CE) with the production of high-energy (5 keV to 1 MeV) ions, which can trigger nuclear reactions in an assembly of exploding clusters. The laser intensity and the cluster size dependence of the dynamics and energetics of CE of (D2) n , (HT) n , (CD4) n , (DI) n , (CD3I) n , and (CH3I) n clusters were explored by electrostatic models and molecular dynamics simulations, quantifying energetic driving effects, and kinematic run-over effects. The optimization of table-top dd nuclear fusion driven by CE of deuterium containing heteroclusters is realized for light-heavy heteroclusters of the largest size, which allows for the prevalence of cluster vertical ionization at the highest intensity of the laser field. We demonstrate a 7-orders-of-magnitude enhancement of the yield of dd nuclear fusion driven by CE of light-heavy heteroclusters as compared with (D2) n clusters of the same size. Prospective applications for the attainment of table-top nucleosynthesis reactions, e.g., 12C(P,γ)13N driven by CE of (CH3I) n clusters, were explored.