Photodisintegration studies of actinides with laser-driven x-rays

ORAL

Abstract

We present results on x-ray photo-activation and disintegration of actinides. Two x-ray sources are compared: bremsstrahlung and Thomson driven by laser-wakefield accelerated (100-400 MeV) electron beams. Bremsstrahlung is generated from high-Z converter and narrow band x-rays (\textless 50{\%} energy spread) are generated by Thomson scattering an intense laser pulse off the electron beam, resulting in high-flux (10$^{8}$ photons s$^{-1})$, polarized light, that is tunable [1]. We present data on delayed gamma rays and neutrons, and the production of fission fragments with half-lives from minutes to hours from photofission of $^{238}$U. We discuss possible selective activation and identification of specific materials and compare experimental results with simulations. \\[4pt] [1] S. Chen et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 110, 155003 (2013).

*Work supported by Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Air Force Office of Scientific Research

–

Authors

  • Sudeep Banerjee

    • Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Nebraska, Lincoln NE 68588 USA

  • J. Silano

    • Department of Physics and Astronomy University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, NC 27599

  • G. Golovin

    • Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Nebraska, Lincoln NE 68588

  • D. Haden

    • Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Nebraska, Lincoln NE 68588

  • C. Liu

    • Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Nebraska, Lincoln NE 68588

  • S. Chen

    • Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Nebraska, Lincoln NE 68588

  • J. Zhang

    • Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Nebraska, Lincoln NE 68588

  • I. Ghebregziabher

    • Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Nebraska, Lincoln NE 68588

  • N. Powers

    • Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Nebraska, Lincoln NE 68588

  • C. Petersen

    • Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Nebraska, Lincoln NE 68588

  • K. Brown

    • Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Nebraska, Lincoln NE 68588

  • J. Mills

    • Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Nebraska, Lincoln NE 68588

  • B. Zhao

    • Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Nebraska, Lincoln NE 68588

  • S. Clarke

    • Department of Nuclear Engineering, University of Michigan Ann Arbor, MI 48109

  • S. Pozzi

    • Department of Nuclear Engineering, University of Michigan Ann Arbor, MI 48109

  • H. Karwowski

    • Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, NC 27599

  • D. Umstadter

    • Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Nebraska, Lincoln NE 68588