Comment on "Observation of neutronless fusion reactions in picosecond laser plasmas"

TL;DR

This paper critiques a previous experiment claiming neutronless fusion in laser plasmas, suggesting their yield estimate was too low and providing a higher estimated yield based on analysis of their detection methods.

Contribution

It offers a critical analysis of prior experimental methods and proposes a revised estimate of fusion reaction yields in laser-induced plasmas.

Findings

The original yield was underestimated due to detection issues.

Revised yield estimate is approximately 10^5 alpha particles per shot.

Detection method critique impacts interpretation of laser fusion experiments.

Abstract

The paper by Belyaev et al. [Phys. Rev. E {\bf 72}, 026406 (2005)] reported the first experimental observation of alpha particles produced in the thermonuclear reaction $^{11}$B($p,\alpha$)$^{8}$Be induced by laser-irradiation on a $^{11}$B polyethylene (CH$_2$) composite target. The laser used in the experiment is characterized by a picosecond pulse duration and a peak of intensity of 2$\times10^{18}$ W/cm$^2$. We suggest that both the background-reduction method adopted in their detection system and the choice of the detection energy region of the reaction products are possibly inadequate. Consequently the total yield reported underestimates the true yield. Based on their observation, we give an estimation of the total yield to be higher than their conclusion, i.e., of the order of 10$^5 \alpha$ per shot.