Determination of Deuteron Energy Distribution From Neutron Diagnostics in a Plasma-Focus Device

Fast neutrons from deuteron-deuteron fusion reactions were used for a study of fast deuterons in the PF-1000 plasma-focus device. The energy spectrum of neutrons was determined by the time-of-flight method using ten scintillation detectors positioned downstream, upstream, and side-on the experimental facility. Neutron energy-distribution functions enabled the determination of axial and radial components of energy of deuterons producing the fusion neutrons, as well as a rough evaluation of the total energy distribution of all fast deuterons in the pinch. It was found that the total deuteron energy-distribution function decreases with the deuteron energy more slowly than the tail of the Maxwellian distribution for 1-2-keV deuterons.