The Breakup Cross Section of the D+D Reaction at 6.94 MeV

The D+D reactions are well known and widely used for a variety of purposes, mainly due to the mono-energetic neutrons from the D$(d,n)^3$He reaction. The least studied of the D+D reactions is the D$(d,np)$D reaction known as the deuteron breakup reaction. The D$(d,np)$D reaction produces a continuum of neutrons at energies lower than that of the mono-energetic peak. In this work, the D\emph{(d,np)}D reaction has been studied for the purpose of use as a neutron source for the active interrogation of hidden fissile materials. The neutron energy distribution as a function of angle for the cross section, $\frac{d^{2}\sigma}{d\Omega dE}$, of the D\emph{(d,np)}D reaction has been measured at the Edwards Accelerator Laboratory of Ohio University, using a 6.94-MeV pulsed deuteron beam incident upon a D$_2$ gas target. The time-of-flight technique was used to determine the energy of the neutrons detected in the array of two lithium glass scintillators and one NE-213 scintillator. The breakup cross section was determined as low as 225-keV neutron energy in the lithium glass detectors.