Effects of High Temperature Pulsed Helium Implantation on Tungsten Surface Morphology

Abstract

The durability and lifetime of thin tungsten or refractory metal coatings on the first walls of inertial and magnetic confinement fusion reactors is a key issue for the feasibility of such devices. Past studies at UW-Madison have indicated that tungsten, when subjected to He⁺ fluences in excess of 4 × 10¹⁷ He⁺/cm², shows extensive pore formation at 800 °C.^1,2 The current study attempts to produce more realistic results by simultaneously irradiating tungsten samples with helium and hydrogen species and by investigating the effects of pulsed helium ion irradiation on tungsten.