Deuterium implantation into Y2O3-doped and pure tungsten: Deuterium retention and blistering behavior

The blistering and near-surface deuterium retention of a Y2O3-doped tungsten (W) and two different pure W grades were studied after exposure to deuterium (D) plasma at elevated temperatures (370, 450 and 570 K). Samples were exposed to a deuterium fluence of 6 × 1024 D m−2 applying a moderate ion flux of about 9 × 1019 D m−2 s−1 at an ion energy of 38 eV/D. Morphological modifications at the surface were analyzed by confocal laser scanning microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The D depth profiles and the accumulated D inventories within the topmost 8 μm were determined by nuclear reaction analysis. Blistering and deuterium retention were strongly dependent on the implantation temperature. In addition, blistering was sensitively influenced by the used tungsten grade, although the total amount of retained D measured by nuclear reaction analysis was comparable. Among the three different investigated tungsten grades, Y2O3-doped W exhibited the lowest degree of surface modification despite a comparable total D retention.