Neutron Induced D Breakup in Inertial Confinement Fusion at the Omega Laser Facility

High-resolution neutron spectroscopy is used to study the deuteron breakup reaction D(n,n$\prime)$np in the thermonuclear environment created in inertial confinement fusion experiments at the Omega Laser Facility. Neutrons with an energy of 14.1 MeV generated in the primary D--T fusion reactions scatter elastically and inelastically off the dense (cryogenic) D--T fuel assembly surrounding the central hot spot at peak fuel compression. These neutrons also induce a breakup of the fuel deuterons. The corresponding breakup cross section is measured relative to elastic n$-$D and n$-$T scattering, i.e., simultaneously in the same environment. Apart from astrophysical and technological interest, the neutron-induced deuteron breakup reaction is of interest to the physics of nucleon$-$nucleon forces. For example, theoretical calculations predict a noticeable influence of nucleonic three-body forces on the magnitude of the breakup cross section. Preliminary results from measurements of the neutron contribution in the 2- to 6-MeV range show reasonable agreement with the published ENDL 2008.2 semi-empirical cross-section. This material is based upon work supported by the Department of Energy National Nuclear Security Administration under Award Number DE-NA0001944.