Hydrogen isotopes retention studies using laser and microwave induced plasma coupling

Area of Science:

• Nuclear Fusion Science
• Plasma Physics
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Detecting deuterium and tritium in fusion devices is crucial but challenging.
• Optical emission spectroscopy (OES) struggles to resolve hydrogen isotope Balmer alpha lines (Hα, Dα, Tα).
• Existing laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) methods have limitations in spectral resolution.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a novel technique for resolving hydrogen isotope Balmer alpha lines.
• To overcome the limitations of standard OES and LIBS for tritium retention analysis.
• To enhance the detection capabilities for deuterium and tritium in fusion environments.

Main Methods:

• Coupling laser ablation and laser-induced desorption with microwave-induced plasma (MIP).
• Optimizing Nd:YAG laser ablation on copper and tungsten targets.
• Investigating femtosecond (fs) laser-induced desorption on graphite powder with heavy water and water.

Main Results:

• The proposed MIP-coupled laser ablation and desorption approach significantly improves spectral resolution.
• Analytical performances for detecting hydrogen isotopes are substantially enhanced.
• The technique meets the resolution requirements for Balmer alpha lines, surpassing standard LIBS.

Conclusions:

• The combined laser ablation-desorption and MIP technique offers a promising solution for accurate deuterium and tritium detection.
• This method provides a viable pathway for reliable tritium retention studies in plasma-facing components.
• The enhanced spectral resolution is critical for advancing fusion energy research and diagnostics.