Accurate prediction of alpha particle stopping powers in a laser-induced plasma is critical for inertial confinement fusion (ICF) and magnetic fusion energy research. This study presents a comprehensive comparison of four distinct approaches: the novel single-scattering Monte Carlo approach, the Li–Petrasso (LP) theory, the modified LP (MLP), and the Brown–Preston–Singleton formulation. Through Monte Carlo simulations across diverse plasma regimes (0.1–20 MeV, 10 g/cc), we demonstrate the Novel Single Scattering Model’s (NSSM) superior accuracy in predicting alpha particle stopping power for deuterium–tritium DT and proton-boron p-11B fusion plasmas. Compared to molecular dynamics benchmarks, NSSM reduces Bragg peak errors by 15%–30% relative to MLP formulations in high-density regimes (ρ > 100 g cm−3, keV). The model uniquely captures non-Maxwellian target responses, resulting in up to 80% higher fusion reactivity predictions at keV due to energetic ion populations (0.1–20 MeV) generated by low-energy alphas. NSSM further reveals range dispersion effects extending particle trajectories by 14%–24% compared to continuum models, with p-B exhibiting 18% stronger dispersion than DT at ρ = 10 g cm−3. These kinetic effects significantly improve ignition predictions for aneutronic fuels and will be further validated through integration into the Geant4 toolkit for ICF simulations. Benchmark results confirm NSSM’s fidelity in resolving energy deposition physics missed by MLP approaches.
Alpha particle stopping in a dense burning plasma