A Route to the Brightest Possible Neutron Source?
Andrew Taylor,1*
Mike Dunne,1
Steve Bennington,1
Stuart Ansell,1
Ian Gardner,1
Peter Norreys,1
Tim Broome,1
David Findlay,1
Richard Nelmes2
We review the potential to develop sources for neutron scattering science and propose that a merger with the rapidly developing field of inertial fusion energy could provide a major step-change in performance. In stark contrast to developments in synchrotron and laser science, the past 40 years have seen only a factor of 10 increase in neutron source brightness. With the advent of thermonuclear ignition in the laboratory, coupled to innovative approaches in how this may be achieved, we calculate that a neutron source three orders of magnitude more powerful than any existing facility can be envisaged on a 20- to 30-year time scale. Such a leap in source power would transform neutron scattering science.
1 Council for the Central Laboratory of the Research Councils, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Chilton, Didcot, Oxon OX11 0QX, UK.
2 Scottish Universities Physics Alliance, School of Physics and Centre for Science at Extreme Conditions, The University of Edinburgh, Mayfield Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JZ, UK.
* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: andrew.taylor{at}rl.ac.uk
