Measurement of the cross section for the reaction d+d→3He+n at ultralow collision energies by the Z-pinch technique

The cross section was measured for the reaction d+d→3He+n induced by incident deuterons with a mean energy of about 440 eV. The intense deuteron beam employed in this experiment was generated during the implosion of a liner. The experiment was performed at the high-current accelerator of the Institute of High-Current Electronics (Tomsk). The maximum current, voltage, and current-saturation time of the accelerator were 750 kA, 700 kV, and 60 ns, respectively. A two-jet gas liner involving 17% D2 and 83% N2 was used (the inner jet served as a target). Neutrons emitted in deuteron-deuteron collisions were detected by scintillation spectrometers according to the time of flight and by BF3 thermal-neutron detectors encased in a polyethylene moderator. From a preliminary analysis of experimental data, it was found that the upper limit on the cross section for the reaction d+d→3He+n is 2x10-34 cm2 (at a confidence level of 90%)