Deuteron emission from a plasma and a vacuum arc formed on exposure of a deuterated cathode to laser radiation

A study was made of deuteron emission from a vacuum arc plasma stimulated by the action of laser radiation on the surface of zirconium deuteride. A family of dependences of the deuteron yield on the laser energy E_l and on the energy deposited in the vacuum arc E_a was obtained in the range E_l=1—25 mJ, E_a=0—400 mJ. A correlation was established between the deuteron formation processes in the electrode spots of the vacuum arc and in a laser plasma due to the dependence of the arcing conditions on the laser energy. It is found that an energy an order of magnitude higher was dissipated in the formation of a single deuteron in the electrode spots of the arc compared with that dissipated in the formation of a deuteron in a laser plasma.