Radiation effects in nuclear materials: Role of nuclear and electronic energy losses and their synergy

Lionel Thomé, A. Debelle, F. Garrido, S. Mylonas, B. Décamps, C. Bachelet, G. Sattonnay, S. Moll, S. Pellegrino, S. Miro, P. Trocellier, Y. Serruys, G. Velisa, C. Grygiel, I. Monnet, M. Toulemonde, P. Simon, J. Jagielski, I. Jozwik-Biala, L. NowickiM. Behar, W. J. Weber, Y. Zhang, M. Backman, K. Nordlund, F. Djurabekova

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

47 Scopus citations

Abstract

Ceramic oxides and carbides are promising matrices for the immobilization and/or transmutation of nuclear wastes, cladding materials for gas-cooled fission reactors and structural components for fusion reactors. For these applications there is a need of fundamental data concerning the behavior of nuclear ceramics upon irradiation. This article is focused on the presentation of a few remarkable examples regarding ion-beam modifications of nuclear ceramics with an emphasis on the mechanisms leading to damage creation and phase transformations. Results obtained by combining advanced techniques (Rutherford backscattering spectrometry and channeling, X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy) concern irradiations in a broad energy range (from keV to GeV) with the aim of exploring both nuclear collision (Sn) and electronic excitation (Se) regimes. Finally, the daunting challenge of the demonstration of the existence of synergistic effects between Sn and Se is tackled by discussing the healing due to intense electronic energy deposition (SHIBIEC) and by reporting results recently obtained in dual-beam irradiation (DBI) experiments.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)43-48
Number of pages6
JournalNuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research, Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms
Volume307
DOIs
StatePublished - 2013
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Amorphization
  • Damage production
  • Ion irradiation
  • Nuclear materials

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