European fusion materials programme

The European fusion materials programme is part of the general effort of the European Community to develop controlled nuclear fusion. It covers fission reactor irradiations, mainly for the study of in-pile creep and fatigue of stainless steels in international co-operation, and simulation work using particle beams to study the irradiation behavior of a variety of alloys. Background, current work, and main results of research groups in Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the Joint Research Center of the European Community are reviewed and a short description given of the co-operative set of in-pile experiments carried out jointly by Europe, Japan, and the United States. Some guidelines for future development are discussed and a few general conclusions drawn on the programme.