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A Pyroelectric Crystal Particle Accelerator. Amanda Gehring, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology Rand Watson, Texas A&M Cyclotron Institute. Pyroelectric Crystals. Experimental Setup. D +D 3He + n (820 KeV) (2.45 MeV) D + D T + p
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A Pyroelectric Crystal Particle Accelerator Amanda Gehring, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology Rand Watson, Texas A&M Cyclotron Institute
Experimental Setup D +D 3He + n (820 KeV)(2.45 MeV) D + D T + p (1.01 MeV)(3.02 MeV)
Goals of Experiment • Instigate d + d fusion and optimize the neutron output by varying the D2 gas pressure • Optimize parameters that determine the intensity and energy of the particle beam • Examine feasibility of using the system as a neutron generator
Pyroelectric Crystals • LiNbO3 and LiTaO3
First Set of Experiments • Energy calibrated Si(Li) x-ray detector using a 241-Am source • Conducted runs under vacuum at the heating currents of 0.5 A, 1.0 A, 1.5 A, and 2.0 A • Recorded the number of x-rays in 10 s intervals • Acquired x-ray spectra
Second Set of Experiments • Energy calibrated liquid scintillator neutron detector using a 252-Cf source • Conducted runs with D2 gas at pressures of 5.0, 2.5, 1.2, 0.5, and 0.1 mtorr. • Recorded the number of neutrons and x-rays in 10 s intervals • Acquired x-ray spectra
Future Research • Address discharges and unfocused beam • Run experiments under different deuterium gas pressures • Replicate previous results • Use of two pyroelectric crystals
Acknowledgements • National Science Foundation • Department of Energy • Texas A&M Cyclotron Institute • Dr. Rand Watson • Jon Kalodimos