The Disintegration of the Deuteron by Impact

High energy deuterons can be disintegrated by their impact with nuclei. For deuteron energies ∼2×${10}^7$ e.v., the corresponding neutron yield can be of the order of 1 percent. The probability of the process can be calculated by taking advantage of the fact that the nuclear field varies little over the deuteron, and is then given quite simply in terms of the photoelectric absorption and the matrix elements of the nuclear field acting on the deuteron. For low energies the neutron yields are small, amounting to 3×${10}^{-9\mathrm{}}$ for 3×${10}^6$ e.v. deuterons in Al, and to ${10}^{-6\mathrm{}}$ for 4×${10}^6$ e.v. deuterons in carbon.