High yield neutron generator based on a high-current gasdynamic electron cyclotron resonance ion source

Abstract

In present paper, an approach for high yield compact D-D neutron generator based on a high current gasdynamic electron cyclotron resonance ion source is suggested. Results on dense pulsed deuteron beam production with current up to 500 mA and current density up to 750 mA/cm2 are demonstrated. Neutron yield from D2O and TiD2 targets was measured in case of its bombardment by pulsed 300 mA D+ beam with 45 keV energy. Neutron yield density at target surface of 109 s−1 cm−2 was detected with a system of two 3He proportional counters. Estimations based on obtained experimental results show that neutron yield from a high quality TiD2 target bombarded by D+ beam demonstrated in present work accelerated to 100 keV could reach 6 × 1010 s−1 cm−2. It is discussed that compact neutron generator with such characteristics could be perspective for a number of applications like boron neutron capture therapy, security systems based on neutron scanning, and neutronography.