Prediction of net energy gain in deuterium-beam interactions with an inertially confined plasma

It is shown that deuteron beams incident on compressed, tritium-based plasma targets can undergo beam-fusion reactions at a rate greater than Coulomb scattering for a wide range of beam energies and target temperatures. As a result, energy gains of about 5 are possible. The analysis is carried out by treating the beam ions, target ions, and the electrons as separate fluids. Essential to the attainment of high gain is the inclusion of the contribution to the fusion yield from deuterons that gain scattered energy at the expense of directed energy. The results are confirmed by Monte Carlo simulations equivalent to a Fokker-Planck treatment.