Evaluation of a method to reduce the redeposition of hydrogenated coatings containing carbon and tungsten in fusion reactors

The International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) project will be the first experimental fusion reactor with the objective to demonstrate the scientific and technological feasibility of fusion energy for commercial energy production. Erosion of materials by physical sputtering is the most fundamental of plasma-surface interactions in fusion reactor devices. Carbon and tungsten materials planned to be used in ITER divertor will be subjected to erosion, which produces local redeposition of mixed layers. Tritium retention in mixed materials is the major concern due to the limits imposed for safety reasons by nuclear licensing. The scavenging effect to reduce the redeposition phenomenon has been reported in low-pressure technical plasmas. In the present work, the minimization of co-deposits of hydrogenated C/W coatings by the injection of scavenger particles is analyzed.