A cylindrical neutron generator is formed with a coaxial RF-driven plasma ion
source
and target. A deuterium (or deuterium and tritium) plasma is produced by RF excitation
in a cylindrical plasma ion generator using an RF antenna. A cylindrical neutron
generating target is coaxial with the ion generator, separated by plasma and extraction
electrodes which contain many slots. The plasma generator emanates ions radially
over 360 and the cylindrical target is thus irradiated by ions over its entire
circumference. The plasma generator and target may be as long as desired. The plasma
generator may be in the center and the neutron target on the outside, or the plasma
generator may be on the outside and the target on the inside. In a nested configuration,
several concentric targets and plasma generating regions are nested to increase
the neutron flux.
