US 11,839,016 B2
Neutron generation using pyroelectric crystals
Vincent Tang, Dublin, CA (US); Glenn A. Meyer, Danville, CA (US); Steven Falabella, Livermore, CA (US); Gary Guethlein, Livermore, CA (US); Brian Rusnak, Livermore, CA (US); Stephen Sampayan, Manteca, CA (US); Christopher Spadaccini, Oakland, CA (US); Li-Fang Wang, Livermore, CA (US); John Harris, Monterey, CA (US); and Jeff Morse, Westhampton, MA (US)
Assigned to Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC, Livermore, CA (US)
Filed by Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC, Livermore, CA (US)
Filed on Dec. 15, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/122,918.
Application 17/122,918 is a division of application No. 15/279,214, filed on Sep. 28, 2016, granted, now 11,019,717.
Application 15/279,214 is a division of application No. 12/540,203, filed on Aug. 12, 2009, granted, now 9,723,704, issued on Aug. 1, 2017.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/088,310, filed on Aug. 12, 2008.
Prior Publication US 2021/0227678 A1, Jul. 22, 2021
Int. Cl. H05H 3/06 (2006.01); G21G 4/02 (2006.01)
CPC H05H 3/06 (2013.01) [G21G 4/02 (2013.01)] 13 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for producing neutrons, the method comprising:
producing a voltage of negative polarity of at least −100 keV on a surface of a deuterated or tritiated target in response to a temperature change of a pyroelectric crystal of less than about 40° C., the pyroelectric crystal having the deuterated or tritiated target coupled thereto;
pulsing a deuterium ion source to produce a deuterium ion beam;
accelerating the deuterium ion beam to the deuterated or tritiated target, wherein accelerating the deuterium ion beam is achieved by using an ion accelerating mechanism comprising a pyroelectric stack accelerator having a first thermal altering mechanism for changing a temperature of the pyroelectric stack accelerator; and
directing the deuterium ion beam onto the deuterated or tritiated target to make neutrons using at least one element selected from the group consisting of: a voltage of the pyroelectric crystal and a high gradient insulator (HGI) surrounding the pyroelectric crystal.