Muon-catalyzed D-T fusion at low temperature

Abstract

Muon-catalyzed deuterium-tritium fusion was investigated within a wide range of mixtures in liquid and gas (23--35 K) by detection of fusion neutrons. Our improved analysis includes hyperfine effects and allows a clear separation of intrinsic dt sticking ${\ensuremath{\omega}}_{s}$ from kinetic effects. Strongly density-dependent cycle rates with values up to 1.45\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{8}$ ${\mathrm{s}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}1}$, yields of 113 fusions per muon, and ${\ensuremath{\omega}}_{s}$=(0.45\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.05)% are found. In comparison with previous experiments we confirm that ${\ensuremath{\omega}}_{s}$ in liquid is lower than theoretically predicted, but do not find a strong dependence on either ${c}_{t}$ or density.