title: Photonuclear physics when a multiterawatt laser pulse interacts with solid targets
abstract: When a laser pulse of intensity 10(19) W cm(-2) interacts with solid targets, electrons of energies of some tens of MeV are produced. In a tantalum target, the electrons generate an intense highly directional gamma-ray beam that can be used to carry out photonuclear reactions. The isotopes 11C, 38K, (62,64)Cu, 63Zn, 106Ag, 140Pr, and 180Ta have been produced by (gamma,n) reactions using the VULCAN laser beam. In addition, laser-induced nuclear fission in 238U has been demonstrated, a process which was theoretically predicted at such laser intensities more than ten years ago. The ratio of the 11C and the 62Cu beta(+) activities yields shot-by-shot temperatures of the suprathermal electrons at laser intensities of approximately 10(19) W cm(-2).
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, United Kingdom.
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Ledingham
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Spencer
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: McCanny
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Singhal
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Santala
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Watts
authors.initials: FN
authors.lastname: Beg
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zepf
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Krushelnick
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tatarakis
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Dangor
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Norreys
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Allott
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Neely
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Machacek
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Wark
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Cresswell
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Sanderson
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Magill