Hydrogen Retention in Lithium and Lithium Compounds

Lithium (Li) conditioning of plasma facing components (PFCs) in magnetic fusion devices has improved plasma performance and lowered hydrogen (H) recycling partially due to the efficiency of Li in binding H isotopes. In current fusion experiments [1], the presence of impurities inevitably creates Li-O and Li-C-O compounds. Unraveling the fundamental mechanisms for H retention, its post-exposure time dependence, and sputtering for these Li compounds is crucial for the application of Li as a PFC.