Abstract
The nuclear reaction in palladium electrode under highly non-uniform electricfield has been studied using a neutron counting system. Excess neutroncounts were observed with deuterium loaded palladium point electrodes indeuterium gas atmosphere in 9 out of 24 runs after activation by flashoverbetween electrodes during DC high voltage application. Similar neutron bursttook place without the activation under a DC glow discharge condition in 2runs out of 37 runs. The tip surface of these two electrodes after the burstwas observed to be covered by a large amount of carbon using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Several craters of about 10μm in diameter wereformed on the tip surface of one of the two electrodes.