Nuclear diagnostic for fast alpha particles

Patent · Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1986

OSTI ID:875249

Grisham, Larry R.; Post, Jr., Douglass E.; Dawson, John M. ^[1]

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1. Pacific Palisades, CA

Measurement of the velocity distribution of confined energetic alpha particles resulting from deuterium-tritium fusion reactions in a magnetically contained plasma is provided. The fusion plasma is seeded with energetic boron neutrals for producing, by means of the reaction ¹⁰B ($$\alpha$$n) ¹³N reaction, radioactive nitrogen nuclei which are then collected by a probe. The radioactivity of the probe is then measured by conventional techniques in determining the energy distribution of the alpha particles in the plasma. In a preferred embodiment, diborane gas (B₂H₆) is the source of the boron neutrals to produce ¹³N which decays almost exclusively by positron emission with a convenient half-life of 10 minutes.

• Research Organization: Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL), Princeton, NJ (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-76CH03073
• Assignee: United States of America as respresented by United States (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): H000075
• Application Number: 06/814588
• OSTI ID: 875249
• Resource Relation: Patent File Date: 1985 Dec 30
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

statutory invention registration
nuclear
diagnostic
fast
alpha
particles
measurement
velocity
distribution
confined
energetic
resulting
deuterium-tritium
fusion
reactions
magnetically
contained
plasma
provided
seeded
boron
neutrals
producing
means
reaction
10
13
radioactive
nitrogen
nuclei
collected
probe
radioactivity
measured
conventional
techniques
determining
energy
preferred
embodiment
diborane
gas
source
produce
decays
exclusively
positron
emission
convenient
half-life
minutes
preferred embodiment
energy distribution
positron emission
alpha particle
alpha particles
conventional techniques
fusion reaction
velocity distribution
energetic alpha
fusion reactions
fusion plasma
contained plasma
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