2014 Fiscal Year Research-status Report
Compact neutron source for water Cherenkov detectors
Project/Area Number |
26800127
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Research Institution | The University of Tokyo |
Principal Investigator |
ウェンデル ロジャー 東京大学, 宇宙線研究所, 助教 (20647656)
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Project Period (FY) |
2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
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Keywords | neutron / generator / solid state / triggered source |
Outline of Annual Research Achievements |
The project to develop a compact pulsed neutron generator has been delayed and as a result there is currently no significant progress to report. Since the delay is primarily due a lack of availability of the primary component, the focus of the project will shift in the following year to replication and production of a similar device at the University of Tokyo.
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Current Status of Research Progress |
Current Status of Research Progress
4: Progress in research has been delayed.
Reason
The principal component of the research project, the neutristor, is a compact device which produces a short burst of neutrons when pulsed by a high voltage power supply. Since the device was developed at a national laboratory in the United States, it is nearly impossible for a foreign university to obtain one directly from the inventor. At the time of the original grant application, however, the inventor was working with an industry partner to make the device available commercially. As the device operates using the fusion of deuterium with tritium, a controlled radioisotope in Japan, purchasing the neutristor through a commercial vendor is the most viable method of obtaining one for the purposes of this research. Unfortunately, due to the funding limitations over the last year the neutristor has not yet made it to market. Additionally, it is now unclear on what time scale it will be made available commercially. These circumstances have resulted in the delay of the project by approximately one year.
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Strategy for Future Research Activity |
For the reasons outlined above in order to advance the project it is now necessary to fabricate a triggered neutron source independently. While detailed information concerning the structure of the neutristor is available in the literature, due to restrictions on the use of tritium it is impractical to build an identical device. Instead the project will focus on constructing a device that uses deuterium-deuterium fusion to produce neutrons, since deuterium can be readily purchased in Japan. In order to build something similar to the neutristor it is useful to identify a laboratory within the University of Tokyo with access to equipment suitable for the fabrication. There are insufficient funds within the current proposal to purchase all of the necessary equipment. However, in the event that this is not feasible a similar device will be constructed using standard vacuum equipment. Indeed, a deuterium loaded filament and target can be placed within a small diameter vacuum tube and operated in the same manner as the neutristor. While this has the disadvantage of being physically larger, it is a straight-forward method of developing a triggered neutron source within the confines of the current budget. In either scenario existing equipment at the University can be used to offset some of the costs and allow sufficient funds for the purchase of the power supplies and electronic components outlined in the original proposal.
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Causes of Carryover |
Unfortunately the primary component of the proposed research, the neutristor, was not available commercially within the first fiscal year. The decision was made to refrain from making any purchases to develop the system until the main component was available. As a result none of the funds requested have been used thus far and all have been rolled over into the next fiscal year.
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Expenditure Plan for Carryover Budget |
Funds will be used to procure components for the alternative designs outlined in a previous section. At this stage materials for the neutron generator, such as vacuum tubing, ceramic substrates, and the deuterium target will be purchased. Further, circuitry for the trigger logic, power supplies and a computer for controlling the system will be purchased as detailed in the original proposal.
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