Neutron tubes
Abstract
A neutron tube or generator is based on a RF driven plasma ion source having a quartz or other chamber surrounded by an external RF antenna. A deuterium or mixed deuterium/tritium (or even just a tritium) plasma is generated in the chamber and D or D/T (or T) ions are extracted from the plasma. A neutron generating target is positioned so that the ion beam is incident thereon and loads the target. Incident ions cause D-D or D-T (or T-T) reactions which generate neutrons. Various embodiments differ primarily in size of the chamber and position and shape of the neutron generating target. Some neutron generators are small enough for implantation in the body. The target may be at the end of a catheter-like drift tube. The target may have a tapered or conical surface to increase target surface area.
- Inventors:
-
- Hercules, CA
- Berkeley, CA
- Oakland, CA
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE
- OSTI Identifier:
- 927860
- Patent Number(s):
- 7342988
- Application Number:
- 10/360,245
- Assignee:
- The Regents of the University of California (Oakland, CA)
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
H - ELECTRICITY H05 - ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR H05H - PLASMA TECHNIQUE
Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y02 - TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE Y02E - REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC03-76SF00098
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION
Citation Formats
Leung, Ka-Ngo, Lou, Tak Pui, and Reijonen, Jani. Neutron tubes. United States: N. p., 2008.
Web.
Leung, Ka-Ngo, Lou, Tak Pui, & Reijonen, Jani. Neutron tubes. United States.
Leung, Ka-Ngo, Lou, Tak Pui, and Reijonen, Jani. Tue .
"Neutron tubes". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/927860.
@article{osti_927860,
title = {Neutron tubes},
author = {Leung, Ka-Ngo and Lou, Tak Pui and Reijonen, Jani},
abstractNote = {A neutron tube or generator is based on a RF driven plasma ion source having a quartz or other chamber surrounded by an external RF antenna. A deuterium or mixed deuterium/tritium (or even just a tritium) plasma is generated in the chamber and D or D/T (or T) ions are extracted from the plasma. A neutron generating target is positioned so that the ion beam is incident thereon and loads the target. Incident ions cause D-D or D-T (or T-T) reactions which generate neutrons. Various embodiments differ primarily in size of the chamber and position and shape of the neutron generating target. Some neutron generators are small enough for implantation in the body. The target may be at the end of a catheter-like drift tube. The target may have a tapered or conical surface to increase target surface area.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {2008},
month = {3}
}
Works referenced in this record:
A neutron tube with constant output (1010 n/sec) for activation analysis and reactor applications
journal, March 1965
- Bounden, J. E.; Lomer, P. D.; Wood, J. D. L. H.
- Nuclear Instruments and Methods, Vol. 33, Issue 2
Development of a compact, rf-driven, pulsed ion source for neutron generation
conference, January 1997
- Perkins, L. T.; Celata, C.; Lee, Y.
- The fourteenth international conference on the application of accelerators in research and industry, AIP Conference Proceedings
Compact neutron source development at LBNL
conference, December 2001
- Reijonen, Jani; Lou, Tak P.; Tolmachoff, Bryan
- International Symposium on Optical Science and Technology, SPIE Proceedings