Mechanisms for Production of Neutron-Emitting Plasma by Subnanosecond Laser-Pulse Heating

Abstract
One-dimensional numerical calculations have been made of the heating of a thick target of solid-density deuterium by focused subnanosecond pulses of neodymium-glass laser light. The conditions for neutron emission were found to be produced by two different mechanisms. The results are found to be in semiquantitative agreement with recent experimental results.