Compact inertial electrostatic confinement D-D fusion neutron generator

Abstract

A compact Inertial Electrostatic Confinement (IEC) system is designed and fabricated for D-D fusion neutron generation. The IEC system consists of two concentric spherical grids connected to high voltage power supply inside a vacuum chamber filled with deuterium gas. The diameter of inner grid cathode is 40 mm and the diameter of outer grid anode is 120 mm. These grids are placed inside a SS304L cylindrical vacuum chamber of 300 mm diameter and 450 mm length. The IEC system has been operated at 24 kV in deuterium gas medium at 0.01–0.02 mbar, and the neutron yield of ~ 105n/s is measured with neutron monitor. The temperature inside the IEC system is also measured using Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) during D-D gas discharges. Degradation in vacuum inside the chamber causes the instability in deuterium plasma which reduces the neutron yield and increases the cathode temperature.