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Nuclear Reaction Analysis of Helium Retention in 6H SiC as a function of irradiation and annealing


EMSL Project ID
3165

Abstract

Silicon carbide has been proposed as a coating material in nuclear fuel, and silicon carbide composites have been proposed as cladding material in advanced gas-cooled and light water reactors. As such, the effects of irradiation and fission gases on the performance of SiC in the reactor environment are critical in several ways. Since He serves as a cooling gas, and is also a fission gas, low-energy He (< 50 keV) will be colliding with coolant gas and outer surface cladding layers. As such, it is important to understand He retention in SiC under advanced reactor operating conditions. We will investigate He retention in single crystal 6H SiC as a function of irradiation dose and annealing temperature using nuclear reaction analysis (NRA) via the 3He(D,a)1H reaction. Helium ions will be implanted at various energies and sample temperatures using the duoplasmatron ion gun at EMSL. Samples will then be transferred to the analysis chamber where the NRA will be performed using a 1.0 MeV D+ beam. Helium retention will be characterized as a function of D+ irradiation dose and as a function of annealing temperature.

Project Details

Project type
Exploratory Research
Start Date
2003-01-16
End Date
2004-02-04
Status
Closed

Team

Principal Investigator

Richard Smith
Institution
Montana State University

Related Publications

Y Zhang, V Shutthanandan, S Thevuthasan, W Jiang, WJ Weber, Smith RJ, and LJ Bissell. 2004. "NRA and ERDA Investigation of Helium Retention in SiC as a Function of Irradiation and Annealing." Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research. Section B, Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms 219-220:631-635.