Experimental investigation of muon-catalyzed fusion in high-density deuterium-tritium mixtures

Conference · Fri Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1982

OSTI ID:5890031

Jones, S E; Caffrey, A J; Walter, J B; Anderson, A N; Watts, K D; Anderson, J L; Bradbury, J N; Gram, P A.M.; Leon, M; Paciotti, M A

Data are presented from the first experimental determination of the absolute neutron yield of the muon-catalyzed fusion reaction: ..mu../sup -/ + d + t ..-->.. ..mu../sup -/ + /sup 4/He + n + 17.6 MeV. At high deuterium-tritium density (up to 60% of liquid hydrogen density), copious 14-MeV neutron production is observed, demonstrating many d-t fusions per muon. The ..mu..dt-molecule formation rates are demonstrated to be large and strongly dependent on temperature in the range 100 to 540K. The probability of muon retention by the synthesized helium ion is also measured, along with other quantities affecting the efficiency of muon catalysis.

• Research Organization: EG and G Idaho, Inc., Idaho Falls (USA); Los Alamos National Lab., NM (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC07-76ID01570
• OSTI ID: 5890031
• Report Number(s): EGG-M-11183; CONF-830632-6; ON: DE83014954
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
700205* -- Fusion Power Plant Technology-- Fuel
Heating
& Injection Systems
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
CATALYSTS
DEUTERIUM
EFFICIENCY
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
EMISSION
FERMIONS
HYDROGEN ISOTOPES
ISOTOPES
LEPTONS
LIGHT NUCLEI
MUONS
MUONS MINUS
NEUTRON EMISSION
NUCLEAR REACTIONS
NUCLEI
NUCLEOSYNTHESIS
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
ODD-ODD NUCLEI
RADIOISOTOPES
STABLE ISOTOPES
THERMONUCLEAR REACTIONS
TRITIUM
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES