Engineering Commons^™

Optimization Of A Multi-Layered Target For A Pulsed Power Neutron Source, Zachary D. Bretz

Theses and Dissertations

The ability to create neutron environments is critical fora wide variety of applications including national security, materials science, and medical research. It is also helpful in medical, material, and other research. The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), Washington, DC, is interested in leveraging their pulsed-power facilities to produce an in-house, relatively inexpensive neutron source. NRL’s facilities produce 2 MeV (from Gamble II) and 5 MeV (from Mercury) protons and deuterons. This research explored combinations of target materials to produce the most neutrons in the forward direction. Models of the reactions involved were first validated against literature experiments, then target designs …