Upper limits to fusion rates of isotopic hydrogen molecules in Pd.

Abstract

We have calculated upper bounds for {ital p}-{ital d} and {ital d}-{ital d} fusion rates at octahedral and tetrahedral sites in saturated PdH. Our molecular potentials include Thomas-Fermi screening for two centers and realistic Pd crystal potentials. Accurate numerical techniques were used to solve for radial wave functions down to {ital r}=0. From these wave functions we find rates that are considerably enhanced over those for the free molecules, but 10--20 orders of magnitude lower than the claims of early experiments.