On a Possible Wave Mechanism for an Increase in the Yields of Low-Energy Nuclear Reactions in Crystal Structures

Abstract

The possibility of using one of the properties of wave propagation in periodic structures is considered to explain the known effect of an increase in the yields of nuclear DD reactions in crystalline films. The effect is observed under the bombardment of deuterated metal foil targets with an oxide film by low-energy deuterons (less than 100 keV) in the majority of metals: the yield increases many times as compared with the expected yield when extrapolating the data obtained for high-energy deuterons. Proceeding from the analogy between equations describing the propagation of a light wave in a photonic crystal and that of a particle in a crystal, the conclusion that the properties of the wave functions of particles in a crystal and of the light field in a photonic crystal are analogous is drawn. Forbidden bands with transparency windows can exist in the spectrum of the particles; their properties are also analogous to those of the windows in a photonic crystal. The amplitude of the wave function of a massive particle incident on a crystal can increase in them, which must be taken into account when considering the increase in the yields of nuclear reactions with the participation of moving particles.