MICROANALYSIS OF HE USING CHARGED-PARTICLE ACCELERATORS

Accumulation of the nuclear reaction product He in fusion and fission reactor components leads to severe problems. During investigation of these problems, microanalysis of He in solids has special importance. The present paper will give a review of analytical methods, especially those based on interactions of energetic charged particles. Some of these are based on elastic scattering (proton elastic scattering, elastic recoil detection, scattering combined with coincidental detection of both scattered and recoiled ions), while others are related to nuclear reactions (i.e., He-3(d, p)He-4). Some other methods will also be presented (i.e., thermal desorption spectroscopy, VUV absorption spectroscopy, electron energy loss spectroscopy). Special attention will be paid to the progress made during the last 10 years.