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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

D(t,. cap alpha. )n reaction cross sections at low energy

Conference ·
OSTI ID:6876826

Because of discrepancies in previous measurements of the D(t,..cap alpha..)n reactions at low energies, we have developed a low-energy fusion cross-section facility (LEFCS) to remeasure the D(t,..cap alpha..) and other few-nucleon reactions. The experimental equipment features a windowless cryogenic target, a precision beam-intensity calorimenter, a 10 to 120 keV accelerator producing negative tritium ions, an accurate target gas flow and temperature system, and a tritium gas-handling system. The target density and geometry are calibrated with the D(p,p)D reaction using 10-MeV protons from the Los Alamos Van-de-Graaff. Presented are 16 D(t,..cap alpha..)n total cross sections from 8.3 to 78.1 keV equivalent deuteron energy. The relative error is 0.5% and the absolute error is 1.4% for most energies. For the lowest energy both uncertainties rise to about 4.7%. We will also attempt to measure the D(t,..gamma..)/sup 5/He cross section. We have made preliminary background studies with the LEFCS target and a bismuth germanate counter with encouraging results.

Research Organization:
Los Alamos National Lab., NM (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
W-7405-ENG-36
OSTI ID:
6876826
Report Number(s):
LA-UR-82-2586; CONF-820942-9; ON: DE83000329
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English