INSITU REGENERATION OF FUSION REACTOR 1ST WALLS

The feasibility of in situ regeneration of a deuterium-tritium (D-T) fusion reactor first wall is explored. Chemical and physical vapor deposition processes are considered for applying low-Z materials and metals. Trial deposits of carbon, SiC, Si//3N//4, and (Si, Al)N were prepared by one or both of these fabrication techniques. Material properties such as chemical composition, impurity concentration, morphology, and crystal structure thought to be important in first wall performance were found to be controllable by the vapor deposition process conditions. Chemical composition of the gas mixtures, substrate temperature, and deposition pressures were parameters that influenced material properties in all vapor deposition processes. These parameters may be expected to be controllable in a D-T fusion reactor chamber.