Development of a compact D-D neutron generator using a driven-in target

Neuron generators are widely used in the field of neutron science, material analysis, explosive detection, land security, neutron imaging and so on. A compact D-D neutron generator was developed at Institute of Nuclear Physics and Chemistry with a yield of 3 × 10⁸ n/s. A permanent magnet microwave ion source was used to produce a deuteron ion beam with a current of 1 ∼ 8 mA. The neutrons were generated by bombarding a 0.5 mm-thick titanium driven-in target with the 110 ∼ 120 keV deuteron ions. To avoid the neutrons at zero degree are intercepted, the water and the high voltage are supplied from the side direction. The neutron generator has been tested more than 200 hours. In the test-run, the maximum neutron yield of the generator was 1.6 × 10⁸ n/s, when the deuteron ion beam current was 2.2 mA and the ion energy was 120 keV. When the ion beam current was about 6.8 mA, the neutron yield was l.3 × 10⁸ n/s with the ion energy of 75 keV and didn't increase with the increase of the ion energy. We believed this is due to that the heat on the target could not be removed, which leaded to the rapid release of deuteron from the titanium driven-in target. To improve the heat remove from the target, a 50 μm-thick titanium film coated on a 0.5 mm-thick copper plate was suggested. The new titanium driven-in target is under test at present. Then it will be used in a coal quality analyzer. (authors)