Effect of Electron Screening on Nuclear Reaction Rates

Recently, we performed an extensive experimental campaign, with an aim to study the electron screening in the laboratory for various nuclear reactions and involving both low and high Z targets. Contrary to the large effect observed for low Z targets, no large electron screening was observed for high Z targets. This result was quite surprising and in continuation of our campaign, we focused on the studies of low Z targets. The H-2(p, gamma)He-3 reaction was studied at low energies, in different deuterium implanted materials. Although we were not able to deduce the value of electron screening, we report three new values for the cross section.