Nuclear Fusion induced by Coulomb Explosion of Heteronuclear Clusters

We propose a new mechanism for the production of high-energy ( $E>\mathrm{}3\mathrm{}\mathrm{keV}$) deuterons, suitable to induce $\mathrm{dd}$ nuclear fusion, based on multielectron ionization and Coulomb explosion of heteronuclear deuterium containing molecular clusters, e.g., $({\mathrm{D}}_2\mathrm{O}{)}_n$, in intense ( ${10}^{16}–2\times {10}^{18}\mathrm{W}/{\mathrm{cm}}^2$) laser fields. Cluster size equations for $E$, in conjunction with molecular dynamics simulations, reveal important advantages of Coulomb explosion of $({\mathrm{D}}_2\mathrm{O}{)}_n$ heteronuclear clusters, as compared with $(\mathrm{D}{)}_n$ clusters. These involve the considerably increased ${\mathrm{D}}^{+}$ kinetic energy and a narrow, high-energy distribution of deuterons.