Compact neutron generator driven with high-voltage piezoelectric transformer

A lithium niobate piezoelectric transformer was used to generate neutrons using a deuterium-deuterium (D-D) nuclear reaction. Deuterium gas was flowed into a vacuum chamber at pressures between 10^-4 and 10^-3 Torr. The deuterium gas was ionized and electric fields generated by the transformer accelerated deuterons into a grounded, deuterium impregnated target. A suite of diagnostics, including a bremsstrahlung x-ray measurement, electrooptic probe, and helium-3 neutron detector were used to evaluate the generator voltage, electric fields, and neutron production rates.