Nuclear Reactions Induced by a Pyroelectric Accelerator

This work demonstrates the use of pyroelectric crystals to induce nuclear reactions. A system based on a pair of pyroelectric crystals is used to ionize gas and accelerate the ions to energies of up to 200 keV. The system operates above room temperature by simply heating or cooling the pyroelectric crystals. A D-D fusion reaction was achieved with this technique, and 2.5 MeV neutrons were detected. The measured neutron yield is in good agreement with the calculated yield. This work also verifies the results published by Naranjo, Gimzewski, and Putterman [Nature (London) 434, 1115 (2005)].

Figure 1

Setup for paired-crystal neutron generation experiments. (a) $20\mathrm{mm}\mathrm{dia}.\times 10\mathrm{mm}$ thick ${\mathrm{LiTaO}}_3$ crystal. (b) 3 mm long catwhisker tip with $0.07\mu \mathrm{m}$ apex mounted to a $13\mathrm{mm}\mathrm{dia}.\times 1\mathrm{mm}$ thick Cu disk. (c) Deuterated polystyrene target. (d) Thermoelectric heater/cooler. (e) Thermocouple. (f) Cu heat sink. (g) Vacuum chamber filled with 1.2 mTorr ${\mathrm{D}}_2$ gas. (h) $3^{\prime \prime }\times 3^{\prime \prime }$ EJ-301 detector at 45° angle to crystals.

Figure 2

Net neutron pulse-height spectrum compared with a background radiation spectrum, a SCINFUL [17] simulation of 2.5 MeV neutrons in a NE-213 scintillator, and a reference spectrum generated by time-of-flight method.

Figure 3

X-ray spectrum recorded during a neutron emission phase.

Figure 4

X-ray counts per second observed during a neutron emission phase.