This is the foundational patent behind Astral's reactor design. It covers a particle-generating apparatus of the inertial electrostatic confinement type where at least part of the anode or cathode surface is enriched with fusible isotope species (deuterium and/or tritium), typically zirconium loaded with fuel via electrolysis. Under the applied electric field, that enriched surface becomes electron-screened, encouraging lattice confinement fusion directly in the solid material alongside the usual plasma-based fusion. The patent describes several configurations, including corrugated anode surfaces to maximise enriched surface area, coatings like CVD diamond for secondary electron emission, and systems that arrange multiple units in parallel or in series for higher-flux or larger-volume applications such as PET radioisotope production and neutron radiography.

Inventors: Tom Wallace-Smith, Talmon Cassander Firestone. Proprietor: Astral Neutronics Ltd.

To read the full patent, visit Google Patents.