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Abstract

The production of neutron-rich isotopes and the occurrence of neutron capture
cascades via laser-driven (pulsed) neutron sources are investigated
theoretically. The considered scenario involves the interaction of a
laser-driven neutron beam with a target made of a single type of seed nuclide.
We present a comprehensive study over $95$ seed nuclides in the range $3\le Z
\le 100$ from $^7_3$Li to $^{255}_{100}$Fm. For each element, the heaviest
sufficiently-long-lived (half life $> 1$ h) isotope whose data is available in
the recent ENDF-B-VIII.0 neutron sublibrary is considered. We identify
interesting seed nuclides with good performance in the production of
neutron-rich isotopes where neutron capture cascades may occur. The effects of
the neutron number per pulse, the neutron-target interaction size and the
number of neutron pulses are also analyzed. Our results show the possibility of
observing up to $4$ successive neutron capture events leading to neutron-rich
isotopes with $4$ more neutrons than the original seed nuclide. This hints at
new experimental possibilities to produce neutron-rich isotopes and simulate
neutron capture nucleosynthesis in the laboratory. With several selected
interesting seed nuclides in the region of the branching point of the
$s$-process ($^{126}_{51}$Sb, $^{176}_{71}$Lu and $^{187}_{75}$Re) or the
waiting point of the $r$-process (Lu, Re, Os, Tm, Ir and Au), we expect that
laser-driven experiments can shed light on our understanding of
nucleosynthesis.