Neutron sources are critical for numerous scientific and industrial applications, including nuclear energy, material analysis, biological imaging, and medical treatments. Traditional neutron sources, such as nuclear reactors and spallation facilities, typically require large-scale infrastructure and involve significant costs and safety concerns. Recently, laser-driven neutron sources have emerged as promising alternatives due to their compactness, short pulse duration, and potential for high repetition rates.

This work presents a novel laser-driven neutron source utilizing inverse kinematic reactions, offering a promising solution to limitations associated with traditional neutron generation methods. By employing particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations combined with Monte Carlo nuclear reaction modeling, we investigate the efficiency of neutron production from laser-driven ion acceleration. Specifically, our approach involves the use of laser-driven light-sail acceleration of ultrathin lithium foils to produce energetic lithium-ion beams. These beams subsequently bombard hydrocarbon targets, efficiently initiating the inverse p(⁷Li, n) reaction.

Three-dimensional simulation results demonstrate the feasibility and advantages of this scheme, revealing a forward-directed neutron source with notable characteristics, including an ultrashort pulse duration (~3 ns), a narrow divergence angle (~26°), and a peak flux reaching approximately 3×10¹⁴ n/(cm²·s). This innovative approach significantly improves neutron utilization efficiency and substantially mitigates undesired background radiation, facilitating safer and more practical operations. Such compact, pulsed neutron generators hold great potential for advancing nuclear science, materials research, and medical technologies.
 

Light-sail ion acceleration,Inverse kinematics,Laser-driven neutron source,hybrid simulation