Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC

Jeff Morse

Christopher M Spadaccini

Stephen E Sampayan

Vincent L Tang

Steven Falabella

Glenn A Meyer

John Richardson Harris

Brian Rusnak

Gary Guethlein

Li-Fang Wang

A method for producing a neutrons includes producing a voltage of negative polarity of at least &#x2212;100 keV on a surface of a deuterated or tritiated target in response to a temperature change of a pyroelectric crystal of less than about 40&#xb0; C., the pyroelectric crystal having the deuterated or tritiated target coupled thereto, pulsing a deuterium ion source to produce a deuterium ion beam, accelerating the deuterium ion beam to the deuterated or tritiated target, and directing the ion beam onto the deuterated or tritiated target to make neutrons using at least one element of the following: a voltage of the pyroelectric crystal and a high gradient insulator (HGI) surrounding the pyroelectric crystal. The accelerating of the deuterium ion beam is achieved by using an ion accelerating mechanism comprising a pyroelectric stack accelerator having a first thermal altering mechanism for changing a temperature of the pyroelectric stack accelerator.

Neutron generation using pyroelectric crystals

According to one embodiment, a method for producing a directed neutron beam includes producing a voltage of negative polarity of at least &#x2212;100 keV on a surface of a deuterated or tritiated target in response to a temperature change of a pyroelectric crystal of less than about 40&#xb0; C., the pyroelectric crystal having the deuterated or tritiated target coupled thereto, pulsing a deuterium ion source to produce a deuterium ion beam, accelerating the deuterium ion beam to the deuterated or tritiated target to produce a neutron beam, and directing the ion beam onto the deuterated or tritiated target to make neutrons using at least one of a voltage of the pyroelectric crystal, and a high gradient insulator (HGI) surrounding the pyroelectric crystal. The directionality of the neutron beam is controlled by changing the accelerating voltage of the system. Other methods are presented as well.

According to one embodiment, an apparatus includes a pyroelectric crystal, a deuterated or tritiated target, an ion source, and a common support coupled to the pyroelectric crystal, the deuterated or tritiated target, and the ion source. In another embodiment, a method includes producing a voltage of negative polarity on a surface of a deuterated or tritiated target in response to a temperature change of a pyroelectric crystal, pulsing a deuterium ion source to produce a deuterium ion beam, accelerating the deuterium ion beam to the deuterated or tritiated target to produce a neutron beam, and directing the ion beam onto the deuterated or tritiated target to make neutrons using a voltage of the pyroelectric crystal and/or an HGI surrounding the pyroelectric crystal. The directionality of the neutron beam is controlled by changing the accelerating voltage of the system. Other apparatuses and methods are presented as well.

Neutron interrogation systems using pyroelectric crystals and methods of preparation thereof

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Westhampton, MA, United States of America

Jeff Morse