Low energy nuclear cross sections in metals

Abstract

In order to investigate the interplay between nuclei and their surroundings, deuteron induced fusion reactions in a metal environment have been studied at very low energies. We summarize the results of the measurements so far performed: reaction rates of the D(d,p)T reaction in various metals and those of the 6,7Li(d,α) 4,5He reaction in Pd and Au. In addition, the kinematic measurements recently performed are also described. These measurements showed that low energy nuclear reactions are strongly affected by the metal environment and huge amounts of energy in the condensed matter scale might be converted to the colliding two-body system.