Neutron measurement during crushing of LiNbO₃crystals in D₂and H₂atmospheres

Abstract

A study of mechano-nuclear fusion during the crushing of dielectric crystals of LiNbO3 was carried out in three different atmospheres, D2 (101 kPa), H2 (101 kPa), and vacuum (1 Pa). The number of neutrons emitted during the nuclear fusion reaction was counted in a low background-neutron environment, 6.49 ± 0.02 counts/h, using 16 3He neutron counters with a detection efficiency of 8.6%. The observed neutron counts (±σ) during crushing in D2, H2, and vacuum were 6.39 ± 0.24 counts/h (111 h), 6.87 ± 0.20 counts/h (169 h), 5.92 ± 0.26 counts/h (89 h), respectively. The excess counts of neutrons were 0.47 ± 0.35 counts/h (significance: 1.3σ) (D2) and 0.96 ± 0.33 counts/h (significance: 2.9σ) (H2), assuming that the count in vacuum was zero. From these results, the upper limits of neutron generation in D2 and H2 were 12.2 and 17.4 neutrons/h with a confidence level of 95% (1.65σ).