The intense DT neutron generator of TU Dresden is based on a duoplasmatron
ion source, which can extract a deuteron beam with energies
up to 350 keV. With beam currents of several milliamperes, it is an
exceptional facility in Europe and can generate 14MeV neutrons with
up to 1012 n/s for fusion research. This contribution focuses on the
characterization of the accelerator, including the calibration of beam
energy, energy spread, and long-term stability, which are pivotal for
precision studies of Big Bang Nucleosynthesis reactions. Additional
key parameters such as beam spot size and position stability will also
be reported enabling high-precision cross-section measurements.
Based on this characterization, the 2H(d, p)3H and 2H(d, n)3He reactions
will be investigated at a new ASTRO beam line, which is
currently being designed. These reactions currently limit our understanding
of the primordial deuterium abundance in BBN modelings.
Together with D/H precision data based on astronomical observations,
these measurements will allow us to determine the cosmic baryon density
Ω_bh2 with the same precision as obtained by the CMB survey
of the PLANCK satellite. This independent determination of one of
cosmology’s most fundamental parameters will provide a cross-check
between astronomy, cosmology & nuclear astrophysics, offering deeper
insights into the early universe and the origin of our chemical elements.