Study of energetic charged particles emitted from thin deuterated palladum foils subject to high current densities

Abstract

Thin foils of Palladium were implanted with energetic deuterium ions to high density. Energy spectra of energetic particles emitted from the foils were measured as direct electric currents with densities up to about 10 A/cm² were passed through the foils. Particle groups at energies of about 3 and 5 MeV are observed. The groups are seen to correlate, rougly with the current through the target and with deuteration of the target. At current densities of 10 A/cm², the yield of the particle groups corresponded reaction rate density of about 50 reactions/(cm³-sec). The source of these groups is still under investigation and we are continuing to examine possible sources of systematic misidentification of misinterpretation.