Damage studies on irradiated tungsten by helium ions in a plasma focus device

Abstract

Damage of tungsten due to helium ions of a PF device was studied. The tungsten was analyzed by SEM and AFM after irradiation. SEM revealed fine bubbles of helium atoms with diameters of a few nanometers, which join and form larger bubbles and blisters on the surface of tungsten. This observation confirmed the results of molecular dynamics simulation. SEM analysis after etching of the irradiated surface indicated cavities with depth range of 35–85 nm.The average fluence of helium ion of the PF device was calculated about 5.2 × 1015 cm−2 per shot, using Lee code. Energy spectrum of helium ions was estimated using a Thomson parabola spectrometer as a function of dN/dE ∝ E−2.8 in the energy range of 10–200 keV. The characteristics of helium ion beam was imported to SRIM code. SRIM revealed that the maximum DPA and maximum helium concentration occur in the depth range of 20–50 nm. SRIM also showed that at depth of 30 nm, all of the tungsten atoms are displaced after 20 shots, while at depth of higher than 85 nm the destruction is insignificant. There is a close match between SRIM results and the measured depths of cavities in SEM images of tungsten after etching. Keywords: Radiation damage, Plasma focus, Plasma facing materials, SRIM