Helium desorption in 3He implanted tungsten at low energy

• Published in: Journal of nuclear materials 2011-10, Vol.417 (1-3), p.504-507
• Main Authors: Lhuillier, P.E., Debelle, A., Belhabib, T., Thomann, A.L., Desgardin, P., Sauvage, T., Barthe, M.F., Brault, P., Tessier, Y.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Controled nuclear fusion plants; Energy; Energy. Thermal use of fuels; Engineering Sciences; Exact sciences and technology; Fission nuclear power plants; Fuels; Installations for energy generation and conversion: thermal and electrical energy; Nuclear fuels; Plasmas
• ISSN: 0022-3115; 1873-4820
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jnucmat.2010.12.174

The behavior of helium in 3He implanted tungsten has been studied using Nuclear Reaction Analysis as a function of the post-implantation annealing temperature. Two different implantation conditions have been investigated: medium energy (60keV), and low energy (0.3keV), which exhibit drastically different helium release behavior. In the case of medium energy implantation, desorption starts from 1550K and seems to be due to the dissociation of single helium–vacancy complexes (He–V1). At 1873K the released fraction reaches 75% that suggests the presence of a second type of helium trapping site. In the case of low energy implantation, desorption is observed from 400K (slightly above room temperature) and indicates the presence of shallow helium traps the nature of which is discussed. The released fraction of helium saturates at ∼60% at the temperature of 1473K which could be due to helium trapping at single He–V1 complexes.