Experimental Investigation of Ion Sources of Gas-Filled Neutron Tubes

Abstract

The results of experimental studies of discharge generation regimes in ion sources of gas-filled neutron tubes are presented. The objects of investigation are neutron tubes developed at the Dukhov All-Russia Research Institute of Automatics (VNIIA) for portable pulsed neutron generators. The experiments showed that the conditions for igniting a discharge depend on the pulse-periodic powering system of the ion source and the conditions for heating the gas generator of the neutron tubes. The obtained data show that the efficiency and stability of gas-filled neutron tubes can be increased by optimizing the operating regimes of the powering systems and creating the appropriate ignition conditions for a discharge.