Effect of neon plasma pre-irradiation on surface morphology and deuterium retention of tungsten

Neon and deuterium plasma irradiation of polycrystalline tungsten targets have been performed at high fluxes of ∼1024 ions m−2 s−1 to study the interaction of neon with tungsten and the influence of neon on deuterium retention. Tungsten exposure to neon plasma leads to the formation of wavy nanostructures on the surface. Subsequent exposure to high-flux deuterium plasma leads to blister formation of micrometer size on top of the wavy structures. The total deuterium retention is decreased by neon pre-irradiation for all surface temperatures used in the present experiments. It is suggested that a barrier of trapped Ne is formed that interrupts the D transport and reduces D retention.