Development of a Self-Shielded D-D Neutron Generator

This paper presents a compact self-shielded D-D neutron generator addressing the bulkiness and high costs of traditional neutron sources in single-particle effect testing. The integrated system encloses the neutron source within shielding materials while enabling sample irradiation. Experimental results demonstrate that at 120 kV acceleration voltage, the generator achieves 2.5 mA target beam current and 1.5 × 10<sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">8</sup> n/s neutron yield. Structural analysis confirms the shielding effectiveness through simulation and experimental validation. The proposed design provides a cost-efficient solution for neutron-induced displacement damage testing in single-particle effect experiments. It features optimized radiation protection and operational economy through its self-shielding architecture.