µ-ERD and µ-PIXE characterization of H as-implanted and post-implanted annealed Oxide Dispersion Strengthened steel for fusion applications

Ferritic/martensitic ODS-steel has been proposed as one of the best candidates as structural materials to be located in future fusion reactors, i.e. ITER and DEMO. One of the points of concern in further material development for fusion applications is the study of the diffusion and/or retention of light atoms, like H, which can be produced by transmutation. In this work, we investigated the chemical composition as well as the H distribution for H as-implanted and post-implanted annealed ODS-steel samples by means of simultaneous µ-PIXE and µ-ERD measurements. In general, µ-PIXE data evidence a quite inhomogeneous distribution of yttrium in some of the samples. It has been found that those regions with a larger Y content correspond with iron- and chromium- depleted regions. The possible correlation between Y and H content is discussed, on the basis of a large H diffusion even at room temperature.