Tritium Target Performance at RTNS-II

The Rotating Target Neutron Source (RTNS-II) uses a 360-keV deuteron beam and the 3H(d, n)4He reaction to generate 14-MeV neutrons. The neutrons are used for fusion materials damage studies. The tritium target consists of a band of titanium tritide on copper alloy substrates of 23- or 50-cm diameter. During operation, the substrates are internally cooled and rotated at ~4000 rpm to withstand beam intensities in excess of 100 mA. Neutron production data have been accumulated for fifty-eight 23-cm and five 50-cm targets. From these data, using a non-linear least-squares fitting procedure, target performance parameters have been obtained which permit a quantitative comparison of individual targets. Average parameters are obtained for the 23- and 50-cm targets.