| 摘要 |
<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To achieve a high neutron (or charged particle) production rate with small equipment. <P>SOLUTION: A latticed main cathode 4 is spherically arranged concentrically with and at the center of a spherical vacuum container 2 doubling as a main anode 3. As an ion source 8, a magnetic array 9 formed by annularly arranging permanent magnets is disposed on the outer surface of the container 2, and an annular sub-anode 10 and sub-cathode 11 are disposed with a specified interval inside of the container 2. Because a magnetic field formed inside of the container 2 by the array 9 and an electric field formed by a voltage impressed between the sub-anode 10 and the sub-cathode 11 intersect approximately perpendicularly with each other, magnetron discharge is caused to generate plasma so that deuterium molecules introduced into the container 2 are ionized. Ions thus produced are accelerated toward the cathode 4 by the potential difference between the anode 3 and the cathode 4 to cause collision of the ions with one another in the cathode 4 so that a nuclear fusion reaction occurs to produce neutrons and protons. Because the ions are efficiently produced in a high vacuum condition, the arrival efficiency of the ions at the cathode 4 is raised and the quantity of the neutrons produced by the nuclear fusion reaction is increased. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO |
