23Ne production at SARAF-I

Abstract In this article, we present a measurement of flow rate, yield and effusion time of a 23Ne production and transport system. We used an accelerator-driven Li(d,n) neutron source to produce neutrons up to 20 MeV. The radioactive atoms were produced by a 23Na(n,p) reaction at a NaCl target. Later, the atoms were diffused out from the NaCl crystals and effused from the production chamber via a 10 m hose to a measurement cell and their decay products were detected using High Purity Germanium (HPGe) and plastic scintillator detectors. The resulting flow rate was 6 . 9 ± 0 . 7 ⋅ 1 0 4 a t o m s s e c and the total yield was 3 . 2 ± 0 . 6 ⋅ 1 0 − 9 a t o m s d e u t e r o n . We summarize our methods and estimates of efficiencies, rates of production and effusion.