Skip to main content
Log in

Deuteron tunneling at electron-volt energies

  • Published:
Journal of Fusion Energy Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

We speculate on a new mechanism for deuteron-deuteron fusion reactions at electron-volt energies. Appealing to conservation principles, it is shown that deuteron tunneling leading to fusion is very unlikely to take place between two isolated deuterons. It is argued that in solids, however, tunneling may lead to fusion via a new reaction mechanism which populates energy levels of4He, with simultaneous energy transfer to an electron. Predictions of this theory are that d+d+e fusion at electron-volt energies in solids should lead to copious production of tritium, protium, energetic electrons, and small quantities of4He.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. M. Fleischmann, S. Pons, and M. Hawkins,J. Electroanal. Chem. 261, 301 (1989), and Erratum.

    Google Scholar 

  2. S. E. Jones, E. P. Palmer, J. B. Czirr, D. L. Decker, G. L. Jensen, J. M. Thorne, S. F. Taylor, and J. Rafelski,Nature 338, 737 (1989).

    Google Scholar 

  3. Abbreviations used are p=1H, d=2H, t=3H, n=neutron, e=electron, andK=kinetic energy.

  4. K. S. Krane,Introductory Nuclear Physics, (John Wiley, New York, 1988).

    Google Scholar 

  5. G. Breit and M. E. Ebel,Phys. Rev. 103, 679 (1956).

    Google Scholar 

  6. H. L. Reynolds and A. Zucker,Phys. Rev. 101, 166 (1956).

    Google Scholar 

  7. R. M. May and D. D. Clayton,Astrophys. J. 153, 855 (1968).

    Google Scholar 

  8. G. S. Collins, J. W. Norbury, G. E. Tripard, and J. S. Walker (Unpublished).

  9. C. DeW. Van Siclen and S. E. Jones,J. Phys. G Nucl. Phys. 12, 213 (1986).

    Google Scholar 

  10. We ignore elastic d-d scattering because it does not lead to energy release.

  11. S. Fiarman and W. E. Meyerhof,Nucl. Phys. A206, 1 (1973).

    Google Scholar 

  12. The angular momentum of the state at 25.5 MeV is uncertain and that state is ignored in our analysis (see Ref. 11.)

  13. Thinking heuristically of tunneling as a scattering process, this means that the reaction can take place only when the deuterons' spins are opposed. Tunneling withJ π=2 would lead to no reaction.

  14. Tocompare the transition probabilities for electron conversion to differentI=0 states, we use the energy dependence on the internal conversion coefficient α(0) from Ref.4, Eq. 10.26.

  15. If these d+d+e tunneling reactions produce the energy production reported in Ref. 1, then there will be significant radiation hazards from energetic electrons and radioactive tritium.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Collins, G.S., Walker, J.S. & Norbury, J.W. Deuteron tunneling at electron-volt energies. J Fusion Energ 9, 409–411 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01588270

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01588270

Key words

Navigation