Energy and flux limits of cold-fusion neutrons using a deuterated liquid scintillator
Abstract
Deuterated liquid scintillator detectors (NE230), which give excellent n/γ discrimination and provide a direct measure of the neutron energy spectrum, have been used to search for 2 to 3 MeV neutrons produced in d+d cold fusion. The apparatus consisted of an electrolytic cell using high-efficiency inverted-well geometry. Several samples of annealed Pd wire and a Pd casting (up to 13 g) were studied over a period of several weeks. An upper limit of <=10-3 fusion (n/s g) Pd was obtained corresponding to <7×10-24 fusion (n/s) dd pair in our samples which excludes most of the reported positive results. Several sources of spurious signals, which could closely mimic signals from fusion neutrons, were also observed.
- Publication:
-
Physical Review C
- Pub Date:
- November 1990
- DOI:
- 10.1103/PhysRevC.42.R1809
- Bibcode:
- 1990PhRvC..42.1809R
- Keywords:
-
- 25.45.-z;
- 28.20.-v;
- 29.40.Mc;
- <sup>2</sup>H-induced reactions;
- Neutron physics;
- Scintillation detectors