Deuterium ion extraction and neutron production from a piezoelectric transformer plasma source

Author

Baxter, Emily A. ; Kovaleski, Scott D. ; Gall, Brady B. ; VanGordon, James A. ; Norgard, Peter ; Olson, K.M. ; Dale, Gregory E.

Author_Institution

Univ. of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA

fYear

2013

fDate

16-21 June 2013

Firstpage

1

Lastpage

1

Abstract

Summary form only given. A piezoelectric transformer plasma source (PTPS) is being developed as a plasma ion source for D(d, n)³ He neutron production. The PTPS consists of a lithium niobate piezoelectric disc in a differentially pumped chamber with controlled gas flow from an external source. The PTPS was previously characterized using a range of gas flows, extraction voltages, and aperture geometries. This ion source has been used for preliminary neutron production measurements using a target at high voltage. Ion current measurements are presented for deuterium gas at PTPS internal pressures from 0.5 to 4 Torr, extraction voltages up to 1.5 kV, and a range of duty cycles and operating times. Ion current yields on the order of 10 μA are presented. The PTPS was also operated with a high voltage dc source coupled with a deuterium impregnated palladium foil. Preliminary neutron yields are presented.

Keywords

deuterium; ion sources; neutron production; plasma sources; transformers; DHe; aperture geometries; controlled gas flow; current 10 muA; deuterium ion extraction; differentially pumped chamber; external source; extraction voltages; gas flows; lithium niobate piezoelectric disc; neutron production; piezoelectric transformer plasma source; plasma ion source; pressure 0.5 torr to 4 torr; Deuterium; Ion sources; Laboratories; Neutrons; Plasma sources; Production; Voltage measurement;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Plasma Science (ICOPS), 2013 Abstracts IEEE International Conference on

Conference_Location

San Francisco, CA

ISSN

0730-9244

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/PLASMA.2013.6633297

Filename

6633297