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Irradiation damage in metals produced by 800-MeV protons

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5897686· OSTI ID:5897686

Theoretical calculations of damage energies in metals from 800-MeV proton irradiation motivated an experimental transmission electron microscopy study of the damage produced. Damage produced by 800-MeV protons is accompanied by a higher level of helium production than for reactor neutron irradiation. To allow irradiation of samples on a routine basis, a proton irradiation port (PIP) was constructed in beam line A at LAMPF. This port allowed a high damage-rate irradiation of metal foils several mils thick. Irradiations were completed on foils of aluminum, niobium, molybdenum, and vanadium to damage levels between 0.05 dpa and several dpa, the damage occurring at homologous temperatures above 0.5 T/sub m/. Disks were punched from the irradiated foils and thinned for TEM examination. No voids were observed in irradiated aluminum samples. Molybdenum samples showed a low density of cavities which were believed to be gas filled at these high temperatures. Vanadium samples showed a high density of irradiation-produced defects resulting from irradiation-injected impurities. Such defects have been reported previously in ion-irradiated vanadium. The nature of the damage produced is compared to that found at lower temperatures following neutron or ion bombardment.

Research Organization:
Los Alamos Scientific Lab., NM (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
W-7405-ENG-36
OSTI ID:
5897686
Report Number(s):
LA-7939-MS
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English