Progress in muon catalyzed fusion

https://doi.org/10.1016/0375-9474(92)90412-DGet rights and content

Abstract

The state of the art and the recent progress made in μCF is reviewed. Resonant dμd formation is now quantitatively understood, but the dμt kinetics is more complicated and full interpretation still difficult. Experiments demonstrated 100 to 150 dt fusions per muon. The most reliable value for dt sticking is ∼ 0.6%. New theoretical results extending over the full energy range, describe now most kinetic processes with high precision and yield ultra large rates for dμt formation at collision energies ϵ ≈ 0.1 − 2 eV. For future exploration the use of H/D/T triple mixtures is discussed. In energy applications, the concept of Yu. Petrovs μCF Hybrid Reactor is sketched, in the context of combining it for uranium breeding with the electronuclear channel. There are prospects for using μCF for intense neutron sources.

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