New precision measurements of dµd fusion

A new experiment was started at PSI aiming for high-precision and complete studies of dµd fusion in D₂, HD and D₂/H₂ gas mixtures. A high-pressure ionization chamber surrounded by a set of neutron counters is used to observe dd-fusion at temperatures between 25 and 350 K. Here we report preliminary results from the first test run with pure D₂ filling.     

In-plane polarisation correlation study of the 31 D state of helium excited by 40 eV electrons

Electron-photon polarisation correlations measured in the scattering plane defined by the incident and scattered electron momenta are reported for 40 eV electron impact excitation of the 3¹ D state of helium and for electron scattering angles in the range 40°≦?≦120°. When combined with the results of our earlier polarisation analysis on radiation emitted perpendicular to the scattering plane, detailed information on the shape and dynamics of the exicted state is obtained. In the small angular range of overlap (40–60°) there is excellent agreement with a pervious experimental study. The behaviour of the linear polarisation of the radiation emitted in the scattering plane is well reproduced by a multichannel eikonal theory for ?≦80°. Otherwise theories totally fail to described the excitation process.     

Experimental results on muon-catalyzed dt fusion

A comprehensive experimental study of the kinetics of muon-catalyzed dt fusion has been conducted at PSI, based on the measurement of the 14 MeV neutrons from the fusion process. The target conditions included densities from 1–150% of the atomic density of liquid hydrogen, relative tritium concentrations of 2–95%, and temperatures of 13–300 K. Information about the dt cycle has been obtained from the measured neutron time distributions by different methods: Monte Carlo simulations primarily aimed at investigating epithermal effects in molecular formation and the determination and interpretation of cycling rates describing the steady state regime.