Electric-field effects on the neutron emission from Pd deuteride samples

Palladium sheets, 50-100 ?m thick, have been assembled into experimental configurations, allowing the sample either to be crossed by d.c. current or to feel inductive effects by an external electric field. These fields, applied to deuteriumloaded samples, were causing steady-state or transient migration/diffusion drifts of deuterium within the Pd lattice. The present paper describes these experiments and the related neutron emissions: neutron spectra were investigated with a self-contained time-of-flight neutron spectrometer. A correlation could thus be established between significant (30-40 n s-1) neutron emissions and the drift of deuterium; however, if D(d, n)3 He fusion reaction occurred, it accounted for no more than 20% of all detected neutrons which were mostly emitted with higher energy.