A new Multiple Beams–Material Interaction Research Facility for radiation damage studies in fusion materials
Introduction
The development of advanced materials is a key to the achievement of nuclear fusion as a safe, environmentally attractive and economically competitive energy source. The fusion environment consists of high temperature for improved energy conversion efficiency (high plan efficiency), high energy and high flux neutron loading, electromagnetic field, high temperature plasma, coolant, breeder, neutron multiplier, etc. Where, fusion neutron damage is the biggest technical challenge in fusion materials R&D, because it has been demonstrated to results in unacceptable ductility loss, dimensional instability, radiation induced radioactivity and thermal conductivity degradation in certain existing engineering materials [1], [2], [3], [4].
Recent efforts on fusion materials R&D have been making remarkable progresses and an adequate 14 MeV neutron irradiation facility has been strongly required for the further progress in the most efficient and reliable way. However, the International Fusion Materials Irradiation Facility (IFMIF) project is still on the way to the final engineering design and fission neutron and charged particle irradiation facilities are the only tools available at present [2], [3], [4], [5]. Under this situation we have put our strongest effort to construct a Multiple Beams–Material Interaction Research Facility (DuET facility) at the Institute of Advanced Energy, Kyoto University [6]. The facility set-up planned and under construction is as shown in Fig. 1. The objectives of planned initial works using the facility are to reveal the physical processes of radiation damage and other environmental effects, and their consequences in physical and mechanical properties of materials. This paper provides brief ideas of the technical aspects of the accelerator facility and the planned research activities.
Section snippets
Highly controlled dual-ion irradiation as a new tool for fusion materials research
Because no operating fusion reactors or intense fusion spectrum neutron sources available at present, fusion materials research relies upon simulation of fusion environments. Bombardment with charged particles, particularly dual beams composed of helium and heavy ions, has been a useful tool to study microstructural evolution induced by displacement damage and transmutant gases [7], [8], [9]. More than a decade HIT-facility of the University of Tokyo, which was designed and constructed by the
DuET Facility at IAE, Kyoto University [6]
DuET facility, which stands for dual-beam for energy technology, is a Multiple Beams–Material Interaction Research Facility constructed at the Institute of Advanced Energy, Kyoto University. The facility consists of a Model 4117HC tandem accelerator, a Singletron single-end accelerator, both manufactured by High Voltage Engineering Europe, B.V. (HVEE), and three target chambers. The tandem accelerator has an HVEE Model 860A cesium sputter-type heavy ion source and a model 358 duoplasmatron-type
Target stations and applications to fusion materials research
TS-1, DuMIS is for irradiation and implantation studies of materials. Its dual-beam capability is primarily for the studies on synergistic effects of atomic-displacement damage and gaseous transmutant production in materials under neutron exposure [7], [9], [10]. Of particular, helium is assumed to be the primary source of the prominent synergistic effects, because of its very low solubility in solids and strong interaction with lattice vacancies [11]. Typical examples of helium effect on
Conclusion
A brief introduction of a new multiple beams – material Interaction research facility, DuET, at Kyoto University was provided together with the specific features of the facility as a new tool for fusion materials research and materials research in general. The ideas of potential applications of the facility to studies on beam-material interaction and advanced energy material development were provided, along with the technical description of material irradiation/analysis target stations.
Acknowledgements
This project is supported by Monbusho (Ministry of Education, Science, Sports and Culture) and Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology/Advanced Material Systems for Energy Conversion (CREST-ACE) program sponsored by Japan Science and Technology Corporation (JST) [19].
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