Investigation of the energy accumulation rate in solid deuterium irradiated with fast electrons

The feasibility studies for a new ultra cold neutron (UCN) source to be installed at the Institut Laue-Langevin (ILL) are underway. One of these studies concerns a source using solid deuterium (SD2) as a neutron moderator. During source operation the SD2 would be exposed to intense γ-ray and neutron fluxes. These may result in radiolysis in SD2. Our work has shown that this effect-if it is produced-is not incompatible with a normal operation of the source.