Intense, directed neutron beams from a laser-driven neutron source at PHELIX

<p>Laser-driven neutrons are generated by the conversion of laser-accelerated ions via<br> nuclear reactions inside a converter material. We present results from an experimental<br> campaign at the PHELIX laser at GSI in Darmstadt where protons and deuterons<br> were accelerated from thin deuterated plastic foils with thicknesses in the m and sub-<br> m range. The neutrons were generated inside a sandwich-type beryllium converter,<br> leading to reproducible neutron numbers around 10¹¹ neutrons per shot. The angular<br> distribution was measured with a high level of detail using up to 30 bubble detectors<br> simultaneously. It shows a laser forward directed component of up to 1.42 x 10¹⁰<br> neutrons per steradian, corresponding to a dose of 43 mrem scaled to a distance of<br> 1m from the converter.</p>