Speaker
Description
Laser-driven neutron sources have recently attracted significant attention as they offer the compactness and affordability required for the wide promotion of multi-disciplinary applications. The interest in laser-driven sources stems from the rapid progress in laser technologies over the past couple of decades, which has made high-rep multi-petawatt facilities now a reality. Thanks to the unwavering efforts made by different groups, we have a repertoire of efficient mechanisms to produce neutrons with uniquely appealing qualities, such as ultra-short burst duration, beamed emission and low average energy, in an environment with minimal extraneous radiations. A number of these mechanisms will be discussed in the presentation, along with challenges and future outlooks.