Fast ion beam chopping system for neutron generators

Fast deuterium (D+) and tritium (T+) ion beam pulses are needed in some neutron-based imaging systems. A compact, integrated fast ion beam extraction and chopping system has been developed and tested at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory for these applications, and beam pulses with 15ns full width at half maximum have been achieved. Computer simulations together with experimental tests indicate that even faster pulses are achievable by shortening the chopper voltage rise time. This chopper arrangement will be implemented in a coaxial neutron generator, in which a small point-like neutron source is created by multiple 120keV D+ ion beams hitting a titanium target at the center of the source.