A new granular two-phase mixed media insulator consisting of packed polypropylene beads and silicone oil is found to have up to 10 times greater resistivity and nearly 2 times greater breakdown strength compared with the same silicone oil when operated in DC mode.

As a step towards developing an ultra compact D-D neutron source for various defense and homeland security applications, a compact, low average power ion source is needed. Towards that end, we are testing a high current, pulsed surface flashover ion source, with deuterated titanium as the spark contacts. Neutron yield and source lifetime data will be presented using a low voltage (< 100 kV) deuterated target. With 20 ns spark drive pulses we have shown > 10(6) neutrons/s with 1 kHz PRF

Neutron interrogation techniques have specific advantages for detection of hidden, shielded, or buried threats over other detection modalities in that neutrons readily penetrate most materials providing backscattered gammas indicative of the elemental composition of the potential threat. Such techniques have broad application to military and homeland security needs. Present neutron sources and interrogation systems are expensive and relatively bulky, thereby making widespread use of this technique impractical. Development of a compact, high intensity crystal driven neutron source is described. The crystal driven neutron source approach has been previously demonstrated using pyroelectric crystals that generate extremely high voltages when thermal cycled [1-4]. Placement of a sharpened needle on the positively polarized surface of the pyroelectric crystal results in sufficient field intensification to field ionize background deuterium molecules in a test chamber, and subsequently accelerate the ions to energies in excess of similar to 100 keV, sufficient for either D-D or D-T fusion reactions with appropriate target materials. Further increase in ion beam current can be achieved through optimization of crystal thermal ramping, ion source and crystal accelerator configuration. The advantage of such a system is the compact size along with elimination of large, high voltage power supplies. A novel implementation discussed incorporates an independently controlled ion source in order to provide pulsed neutron operation having microsecond pulse width.

As a step towards developing an ultra compact D-D neutron source for various defense and homeland security applications, a compact ion source is needed. Towards that end, we are testing a pulsed, surface flashover source, with deuterated titanium films deposited on alumina substrates as the electrodes. An electrochemically-etched mask was used to define the electrode areas on the substrate during the sputtered deposition of the titanium films. Deuterium loading of the films was performed in an all metal-sealed vacuum chamber containing a heated stage. Deuterium ion current from the source was determined by measuring the neutrons produced when the ions impacted a deuterium-loaded target held at -90 kV. As the duration of the are current is varied, it was observed that the integrated deuteron current per pulse initially increases rapidly, then reaches a maximum near a pulse length of 100 ns.

The LLNL Crystal Driven Neutron Source is operational and has produced record ion currents of approximately 10 nA and neutron output of 1.9(+/-0.3)x10(5) per thermal cycle using a crystal heating rate of 0.2 degrees C/s from 10 to 110 degrees C. A 3 cm diameter by 1 cm thick LiTaO(3) crystal with a socket secured field emitter tip is thermally cycled with feedback control for ionization and acceleration of deuterons onto a deuterated target to produce D-D fusion neutrons. The entire crystal and temperature system is mounted on a bellows which allows movement of the crystal along the beam axis and is completely contained on a single small vacuum flange. The modular crystal assembly permitted experimental flexibility. Operationally, flashover breakdowns along the side of the crystal and poor emitter tip characteristics can limit the neutron source. The experimental neutron results extend earlier published work by increasing the ion current and pulse length significantly to achieve a factor-of-two higher neutron output per thermal cycle. These findings are reviewed along with details of the instrument.