Nuclear polarization of solid deuterium--tritium

Journal Article · Wed Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1993 · Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology, A (Vacuum, Surfaces and Films); (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1116/1.578648· OSTI ID:6272652

Souers, P C; Tsugawa, R T; Fearon, E M; Collins, G W; Maienschein, J L; Failor, R A; Mapoles, E R ^[1]; Fedders, P A ^[2]

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1. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, University of California, Livermore, California 94551 (United States)
2. Department of Physics, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri 63130 (United States)

We have investigated both theoretically and experimentally the properties of condensed D--T as they apply to nuclear polarization for hydrogen fusion. At 2 K, atom densities and their electron relaxation times were found to be sufficient to pump nuclei in the process of dynamic nuclear polarization. However, the nuclear spin lattice relaxation times of both the triton and deuteron were too short by 2--3 orders of magnitude, as a result of the creation of rotationally excited hydrogen ([ital J]=1 T[sub 2] and D[sub 2]) by the tritium radioactivity. Three means of lengthening these times are discussed: (1) synthesizing low [ital J]=1 molecular DT (here, [ital J] is the molecular rotational quantum number), (2) synthesizing high [ital J]=1 D[sub 2]--T[sub 2] in the ordered phase, and (3) placing the sub-2 K solid in fine-celled foam. The most likely method combines the first and third approaches. Even so, the purified solid DT is likely to last only 20--30 min before the tritium radioactivity reduces the relaxation times. The best temperature regime is in the low-temperature solid; the conditions of the solid at 14--18 K and the liquid at 21--23 K are not considered favorable for nuclear polarization. The first synthesis of pure DT using an adsorption column at 23 K is demonstrated.

• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 6272652
• Journal Information: Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology, A (Vacuum, Surfaces and Films); (United States), Journal Name: Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology, A (Vacuum, Surfaces and Films); (United States) Vol. 11:5; ISSN 0734-2101; ISSN JVTAD6
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
700411* -- Inertial Confinement Devices-- (1992-)
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
DEUTERIUM
DEUTERIUM COMPOUNDS
DEUTERIUM TRITIDE
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROGEN ISOTOPES
ISOTOPES
LASER TARGETS
LIGHT NUCLEI
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
ODD-ODD NUCLEI
ORIENTED NUCLEI
POLARIZATION
RADIOISOTOPES
RELAXATION TIME
STABLE ISOTOPES
TARGETS
TEMPERATURE RANGE
TEMPERATURE RANGE 0000-0013 K
TEMPERATURE RANGE 0013-0065 K
TRITIDES
TRITIUM
TRITIUM COMPOUNDS
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES