SEDL / STP / STP1175-EB / STP23986S

Effects of Cascade Damage and Helium Production Under 600 MeV Proton Irradiation of Cu and Cu-Al²O³

Singh, BN
Senior Research Scientist, National Laboratory, Roskilde,

Horsewell, A
Senior Research Scientist, National Laboratory, Roskilde,

Pages: 10    Published: Jan 1994

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Abstract

Specimens of pure copper (oxygen free high conductivity grade) and a commercial dispersion strengthened Cu-Al²O³ alloy were irradiated with 600 MeV protons at 523 and 673 K to a dose level of about 0.5 dpa. The irradiation induced microstructure was investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The irradiation of copper with 600 MeV protons yields an average recoil energy of 2.3 MeV, giving rise to concurrent production of multi displacement cascades and helium (125 atomic part per million/displacement per atom) atoms.

The TEM investigation showed a complete absence of cavity formation in Cu and the Cu-Al²O³ alloy at the irradiation temperature of 523 K. At 673 K, cavities were observed in Cu but not in the Cu- A1²O³ alloy. These results are compared with the results of neutron irradiations and α-particle implantations. The implications of these results are discussed particularly in terms of helium generation rate and recoil energy.