Chelsea L. Harris 1 Rand Watson 2 1.Texas Southern University; Houston, Texas 77047 2.Texas A&M...

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Chelsea L. HarrisChelsea L. Harris11

Rand WatsonRand Watson22

1. Texas Southern University; Houston, Texas 770472. Texas A&M Cyclotron Institute; College Station, Texas 77843

(Summer III)(Summer III)

A Pyro-Electric Crystal A Pyro-Electric Crystal

Particle AcceleratorParticle Accelerator

PurposePurpose

To continue modifications to the pyro-electric To continue modifications to the pyro-electric crystal particle accelerator to increase the neutron crystal particle accelerator to increase the neutron counting rate above background.counting rate above background.

To optimize a pyro-electric crystal particle To optimize a pyro-electric crystal particle accelerator to accelerate deuterons to sufficient accelerator to accelerate deuterons to sufficient energies to initiate d + d fusion reactions. energies to initiate d + d fusion reactions.

OverallOverall

ImmediateImmediate

MechanismsMechanismsD +D D +D 33He + n He + n (Q = 3.3 (Q = 3.3 MeV)MeV)

D + D D + D T + p T + p (Q = 4.0 (Q = 4.0 MeV) MeV)

Tunneling EffectTunneling Effect

From R. Dunlap, The Phy. Of Nuc. And Part. (2004) 179.

ApplicationsApplications

Pyro-Electric CrystalsPyro-Electric Crystals

The Particle AcceleratorThe Particle Accelerator

The Detector SystemsThe Detector Systems

The Particle AcceleratorThe Particle Accelerator

The Crystal and MountThe Crystal and Mount

LiTa0LiTa033

The Inner ChamberThe Inner Chamber

The Inner ChamberThe Inner Chamber

X-Ray SpectrumX-Ray Spectrum

Energy in keV

0 20 40 60 80 100

Co

un

ts

1e+0

1e+1

1e+2

1e+3

1e+4

1e+5

1e+6Run 10 H @ 1 m Torr D2 – 7/10/07

Cu K-alpha

Cu K-beta

“Pile-up Peaks”

Ca Ti Cr

Energy in keV

0 20 40 60 80

Co

un

ts

1

10

100

1000

10000

X-Ray SpectrumX-Ray Spectrum

Zn kβ

Fe kα

Cd kαCd kβ

Run 10 C @ 1 m Torr D2 – 7/10/07

Fe kβZn kαS kα/kβ

Time (s)

0 300 600 900 1200 1500 1800 2100 2400 2700 3000 3300 3600

Ne

utr

on

Co

un

ts p

er

10

se

cs

0

2x101

4x101

6x101

8x101

102Te

mp

era

ture

(oC

)

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

<------------------Cooling------------------>

Co

un

ts p

er

ten

se

co

nd

s

100

101

102

103

104

105

Run 10 -D2 +C Target-7/10/07

CountCountss

76 Counts

49 Counts

CountCountss

~80 keV / 2 millitorr

What Now?What Now?•Vary current and pressure…Vary current and pressure…

•Attach a larger, more efficient Attach a larger, more efficient neutron detector…neutron detector…

•Use two pyro-electric crystals…Use two pyro-electric crystals…

•Reproduce results …Reproduce results …

AcknowledgmentsAcknowledgments

Dr. Rand Watson Dr. Rand Watson

National Science FoundationNational Science Foundation

Texas A&M Cyclotron Texas A&M Cyclotron InstituteInstitute

Texas Southern UniversityTexas Southern University

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