High Yield of Alpha Particles Generated in Proton-Boron Nuclear Fusion Reactions Induced in Solid Boron Hydride B${}_{18}$H${}_{22}$

TL;DR

This study demonstrates that solid boron hydride (B18H22) can produce a high yield of alpha particles through proton-boron fusion when irradiated with a high-intensity laser, suggesting a promising approach for fusion energy.

Contribution

First experimental demonstration that solid boron hydride generates significant alpha particles via proton-boron fusion with laser pulses.

Findings

Alpha particle yield of about 10^9 per steradian achieved.

Solid boron hydride is a natural candidate for proton-boron fusion.

Laser parameters used: sub-nanosecond pulse, 10^16 W/cm^2 intensity.

Abstract

The use of solid boron hydride molecules as a fuel for proton-boron fusion was proposed by M. Kr\r{u}s and M. Londesborough at "Interaction of Inorganic Clusters, Cages, and Containers with Light" workshop in November 2021. Here we demonstrate experimentally, for first time, that the solid boron hydride, octadecaborane - \textit{anti}-B${}_{18}$H${}_{22}$, produces a relatively high yield of alpha particles of about $10^9$ per steradian using a sub-nanosecond, low-contrast laser pulse (PALS) with a typical intensity of $10^{16}$ Wcm${}^{-2}$. In contrast to previously published proton-boron studies, the boron hydrides, due to their composition containing only atoms of boron and hydrogen, represent a natural choice for future proton-boron nuclear fusion schemes.