Enhanced D-D Fusion Rates when the Coulomb Barrier Is Lowered by Electrons

Abstract

A profusion of unbound, low-energy electrons creates a local electric field that reduces Coulomb potential and increases quantum tunneling probability for pairs of nuclei. Neutral beam-target experiments on deuterium-deuterium fusion reactions, observed with neutron detectors, show percentage increases in fusion products are consistent with electron-screening predictions from Schrodinger wave mechanics. Experiments performed confirm that observed fusion rate enhancement with a negatively biased target is primarily due to changes to the fusion cross section, rather than simply acceleration due to electrostatic forces.