The small deuteron accelerator as a source of slow neutrons

Low energy neutrons are easily thermalised and are useful in a number of applications including radiography and neutron scattering. A consideration of the early literature and recent experimental results suggests that the reaction Be-9(d,n)B-10 can provide a useful source of neutrons in the region of zero to a few hundred keV that fulfill this requirement. The characteristics of the reaction are described in this context and some of the limitations on intensity are considered. The advantages of a low energy source in terms of thermalization have been investigated using a Monte Carlo simulation and it is proposed that a high current deuteron accelerator with an energy in the region of 1.1 to 1.5 MeV, used with a beryllium target provides a neutron source that merits serious consideration.