Abstract: For the sources of negative ions by cesium sputtering (SNICS) in the tandem accelerator to produce negative deuterium ions, a titanium deuteride cathode is prepared. It consists of a copper cylinder as the cathode base filled with titanium deuteride powder in the cavity of the cathode base as a sputter target material. Titanium powder is vacuum treated at a proper temperature to obtain high chemical activity. Then the titanium powder can react easily with deuterium and become deuteride of titanium with 1 5 of atomic ratio of deuterium to titanium. With the prepared titanium deuteride cathode, the ion source can produce several μA to more than 10 μA of negative deuterium ions in the tandem accelerator.