A portable neutron/tunable X-ray source based on inertial electrostatic confinement

Abstract

Portable neutron sources are of strong interest for uses such as industrial neutron activation analysis and various medical research applications. The inertial electrostatic confinement (IEC) device under development at the University of Illionis is intended for such uses and also provides a tunable X-ray source (required reverse bias and added electron emitters). The IEC operates as an accelerator plasma-target type device, and when filled with deuterium presently provides 10 7∼2.5 MeV D–D fusion neutrons/s. D–T fill gas gives 14 MeV neutrons, with rates about 100 times that of D–D, but with the added complication of handling low levels of tritium. Research on higher yield versions now under development is described. Still, in the interim, the IEC, due to its compactness, portability, simplicity and flexibility offers a unique portable neutron/X-ray source.