Search for reaction-in-flight neutrons using thulium activation at the National Ignition Facility

We report on measurements of reaction-in-flight (RIF) neutrons at the National Ignition Facility. RIF neutrons are produced in cryogenically layered implision by up-scattered deuterium, or tritium ions that undergo subsequent fusion reactions. The rate of RIF neutron production is proportional to the fuel areal density ($||$R) and ion-stopping length in the dense fuel assembly. Thus, RIF neutrons provide information on charge particle stopping in a strongly coupled plasma, where perturbative modeling breaks down. To measure RIF neutrons, a set of thulium activation foils was placed 50 cm from layered cryogenic implosions at the NIF. The reaction $^{169}$Tm(n,3n)$^{167}$Tm has a neutron kinetic energy threshold of 14.96 MeV. We will present results from initial experiments performed during the spring of 2013. Prepared by LANL under Contract DE-AC-52-06-NA25396, TSPA, LA-UR-13-22085.