Benchtop Neutron Generator Demonstrates Amateur Nuclear Experiments at Home
Hackaday profiles a benchtop neutron generator by Rapp Instruments that ionizes deuterium and accelerates the ions into a titanium target inside a vacuum to produce neutrons (with occasional helium). Neutrons are detected by activating silver or indium foils around a Geiger counter, showing activity decay over time. The device uses a two-stage high-voltage setup (about 20 kV for ionization and 100 kV for acceleration) inside an evacuated glass tube with an oil diffusion pump. The piece notes the results (e.g., Ag-110/Ag-108 signals) and frames the project as an accessible entry point for amateur nuclear experimentation, linking to broader neutron-generator theory.
