Intense Neutron Source

A ScD2 target film 5×10-5 m thick, tested in a UHV compatible 200 keV deuterium accelerator baked to 470°C, maintained a D-D neutron output rate of 1.0-1.2×1011 /s for 80 out of 140 hours of operation. This result demonstrates that a D-T neutron generator capable of a neutron output rate of 1×1013 /s and having a target lifetime suitable for cancer therapy is possible. Contrary to sputter rate data, ErD2 target films appear to erode about twice as fast as ScD2 films, making ErD2 unsuitable as a target material. A low pressure ion source has been developed to replace the high pressure duopigatron. Experiments have verified that the single ring magnetic cusp ion source can deliver 200 mA of deuterium ions (-60% D+) at 10-15 A of arc current with a background deuterium pressure of 0.27-0.40 Pa. This source will improve the safety of a D-T machine by reducing the tritium inventory by a factor of 6, and by utilizing the Zr-Al getter as the gas reservoir.