APPLICATION OF SECONDARY ION EMISSION TO IMPURITY CONTROL IN TOKAMAKS

The extent to which high Z impurities enter the plasma of a magnetic confinement fusion device depends on the kinetic energy, angle of emission, and very importantly, the charge state of the ejected material. We have been studying both the fundamental process of secondary ion emission and possible techniques for producing surfaces which give rise to high ion fractions during sputtering, with a view to assessing the potential of this approach to impurity control in tokamaks. By carefully choosing materials exposed to fusion plasmas and by properly modifying the surface it may be possible to insure that nearly all the impurities are ejected as ions. As long as certain gas blanket configurations are avoided and especially if a divertor is used, it should then be possible to remove the impurities before they reach the plasma. The relative merits of a variety of materials are considered with regard to this application. © 1979.