A NOVEL LONG-LIVED TARGET FOR ACCELERATOR PRODUCTION OF 14 MEV NEUTRONS

DIAGNOSITC TECHNIQUE USING NEUTRON BEAMS HAVE A BROAD SPECTRUM OF APPLICATIONS IN ADVANCED MANUFACTURING, EXPLOSIVES AND CONTRABAND DETECTION, MEDICINE, AND INDUSTRY. ACCELERATOR-BASED NEUTRON GNERATORS ARE PREFERRED FOR MANY OF THESE APPLICATIONS, PARTICULARLY THOSE REQUIRING FIELD OPERATION. RELIABLE NEUTRON PRODUCTION OVER A LONG OPERATING LIFETIME IS ESSENTIAL FOR COST-EFFECTIVE USE OF ACCELERATOR-BASED NEUTRON GENERATORS. THE MOST SUITABLE REACTION FOR PRODUCING LARGE FLUXES OF FAST (14 MEV) NEUTRONS AT LOW BOMBARDING ENERGY IS THE T(D,N)(4)HE(D-T) REACTION. THE LIFETIME OF CURRENTLY USED D-T NEUTRON GENERATORS IS LIMITED BY THE GRADUAL EVOLUTION OF TRITIUM GAS FROM THE TARGET DURING BOMBARDMENT. COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE D-T GENERATORS HAVE TYPICAL OPERATING LIFETIMES OF 100-500 HOURS. AFTER THIS TIME, THE ENTIRE GENERATOR MUST BE REPLACED. THIS SHORT LIFETIME PRECLUDES THEIR USE IN MANY INDUSTRIAL APPLICATIONS. RESEARCHERS ARE DVELOPING A NOVEL ACCELERATOR TARGET FOR THE PRODUCTION OF HIGH YIELDS OF 14 MEV NEUTRONS. A NEW METHOD IS BEING USED TO INHIBIT THE REPLACEMENT OF TRITIUM WITH BEAM DEUTRONS AND THUS PREVENT THE EVOLUTION OF TRITIUM GAS LEADING TO REDUCED NEUTRON YIELD INCREASING USABLE LIFETIMES TO THE THOUSANDS OF HOURS RANGE.