Identification of BeO and BeOxDy in melted zones of the JET Be limiter tiles: Raman study using comparison with laboratory samples

Abstract

Beryllium oxide (BeO) and deuteroxide (BeOxDy) have been found on the melted zone of a beryllium tile extracted from the upper dump plate of JET-ILW (2011–2012 campaign). Results have been obtained using Raman microscopy, which is sensitive to both the chemical bond and crystal structure, with a micrometric lateral resolution. BeO is found with a wurtzite crystal structure. BeOxDy is found as three different types which are not the β-phase but behaves as molecular species like Be(OD)2, O(Be-D)2 and DBeOD. The presence of a small amount of trapped D2O is also suspected. Our results therefore strongly suggest that D trapping occurs after melting through the formation of deuteroxides. The temperature increase favors the formation of crystal BeO which favors deuterium trapping through OD bonding. Keywords: Beryllium oxide, Beryllium deuteroxide, D trapping, Melting