Development of a D-D Gas Cell Target for the UML 5.5-MV Van de Graaff Accelerator

Fast neutrons are useful for various applications and probing the structure of nuclei. A gas cell target has been developed at the UML 5.5-MV Van de Graaff accelerator for generating fast neutrons through the Deuterium-Deuterium (D-D) reaction. It is comprised of a brass chamber that is electrically isolated and designed to hold a few atm of pressure behind a thin vacuum window attached to the end of the accelerator beam line. As an initial test of the gas cell, a 5-µm thick titanium window was installed and the cell filled with 1 atm of air. A proton beam of 3.7-MeV was transported through a series of dipole and quadrupole magnets and focused through the window to test its durability and to measure any beam-induced background. A 3”x3” C⁷LYC detector was used to collect both gamma-ray spectra as well as to identify fast neutrons generated during the experiment. The results of the test experiment and future developments will be presented.