Producing a Radioactive Source in a Deuterated Palladium Electrode Under Direct-Current Glow Discharge

Abstract

Anomalous gamma emission was rarely observed during direct-current glow discharge in ~3 Torrs of deuterium gas using a deuterated palladium foil cathode. Autoradiography after the discharge experiment showed that isotopes with low- and high-energy radiation components were produced before or during the discharge. The palladium foil after the anomalous gamma-ray emission was analyzed by secondary ion mass spectroscopy, which revealed a considerable increase in the content of iron and copper on the surface.