Study of spectral features and depth distributions of boron layers on tungsten substrates by ps-LIBS in a vacuum environment

Boronization is used in present-devices as wall condition technique due to its effectiveness in reducing oxygen and other impurities in the vessel as well as improving plasma performance. The technique is also currently under consideration as wall conditioning method for the proposed full-tungsten (...

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Main Authors: Huace Wu, Rongxing Yi, Anne Houben, Sebastijan Brezinsek, Marcin Rasinski, Cong Li, Gennady Sergienko, Yunfeng Liang, Timo Dittmar, Hongbin Ding
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2024-12-01
Series:Nuclear Materials and Energy
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352179124002357
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author Huace Wu
Rongxing Yi
Anne Houben
Sebastijan Brezinsek
Marcin Rasinski
Cong Li
Gennady Sergienko
Yunfeng Liang
Timo Dittmar
Hongbin Ding
author_facet Huace Wu
Rongxing Yi
Anne Houben
Sebastijan Brezinsek
Marcin Rasinski
Cong Li
Gennady Sergienko
Yunfeng Liang
Timo Dittmar
Hongbin Ding
author_sort Huace Wu
collection DOAJ
description Boronization is used in present-devices as wall condition technique due to its effectiveness in reducing oxygen and other impurities in the vessel as well as improving plasma performance. The technique is also currently under consideration as wall conditioning method for the proposed full-tungsten (W) wall of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER). However, the impact of the deposited Boron (B) layer thickness, and its homogeneity after the boronization process is uncertain as well as knowledge about the layer lifetime and improved conditions. In this study, an approach of the picosecond-laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (ps-LIBS) is investigated to analyze the depth distribution of B-films on W-substrates by using three optical spectrometers in a vacuum environment. The depth distribution of two types of B-films on W-substrates with the thicknesses of 130 nm and 260 nm were sequentially measured under different laser spot sizes (varying the laser fluence). The B-films on the W-substrates were made by magnetron sputtering to simulate the thin B layers during the boronization. The measured average ablation rate of ps-LIBS shows a notable decrease with increasing laser spot size. Additionally, the spectral lines of B and W exhibit distinct intensity distributions under different spot sizes due to the different excitation thresholds of the B-films and the W-substrates. The interface between B-films and W-substrates, as well as the thickness of the B-films, were determined using the normalized intensity and intensity ratio method, respectively. The results from ps-LIBS measurements regarding the depth are in good agreement with those obtained through the Focused Ion Beam combined with Scanning Electron Microscopy (FIB-SEM) and Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS). These initial findings verify the feasibility to characterize the thickness and uniformity of thin B films in the order of 100 nm and below on W-substrates using ps-LIBS.
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spelling doaj-art-555bd824d2bb4ec6ae3244867c6004ef2025-08-20T01:57:00ZengElsevierNuclear Materials and Energy2352-17912024-12-014110181210.1016/j.nme.2024.101812Study of spectral features and depth distributions of boron layers on tungsten substrates by ps-LIBS in a vacuum environmentHuace Wu0Rongxing Yi1Anne Houben2Sebastijan Brezinsek3Marcin Rasinski4Cong Li5Gennady Sergienko6Yunfeng Liang7Timo Dittmar8Hongbin Ding9Key Laboratory of Materials Modification by Laser, Ion and Electron Beams (Ministry of Education), School of Physics, Dalian University of Technology, 116024 Dalian, PR China; Forschungszentrum Jülich, Institute of Fusion Energy & Nuclear Waste Management – Plasma Physics, 52425 Jülich, GermanyForschungszentrum Jülich, Institute of Fusion Energy & Nuclear Waste Management – Plasma Physics, 52425 Jülich, GermanyForschungszentrum Jülich, Institute of Fusion Energy & Nuclear Waste Management – Plasma Physics, 52425 Jülich, GermanyForschungszentrum Jülich, Institute of Fusion Energy & Nuclear Waste Management – Plasma Physics, 52425 Jülich, Germany; Corresponding authors.Forschungszentrum Jülich, Institute of Fusion Energy & Nuclear Waste Management – Plasma Physics, 52425 Jülich, GermanyKey Laboratory of Materials Modification by Laser, Ion and Electron Beams (Ministry of Education), School of Physics, Dalian University of Technology, 116024 Dalian, PR ChinaForschungszentrum Jülich, Institute of Fusion Energy & Nuclear Waste Management – Plasma Physics, 52425 Jülich, GermanyForschungszentrum Jülich, Institute of Fusion Energy & Nuclear Waste Management – Plasma Physics, 52425 Jülich, GermanyForschungszentrum Jülich, Institute of Fusion Energy & Nuclear Waste Management – Plasma Physics, 52425 Jülich, GermanyKey Laboratory of Materials Modification by Laser, Ion and Electron Beams (Ministry of Education), School of Physics, Dalian University of Technology, 116024 Dalian, PR China; Corresponding authors.Boronization is used in present-devices as wall condition technique due to its effectiveness in reducing oxygen and other impurities in the vessel as well as improving plasma performance. The technique is also currently under consideration as wall conditioning method for the proposed full-tungsten (W) wall of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER). However, the impact of the deposited Boron (B) layer thickness, and its homogeneity after the boronization process is uncertain as well as knowledge about the layer lifetime and improved conditions. In this study, an approach of the picosecond-laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (ps-LIBS) is investigated to analyze the depth distribution of B-films on W-substrates by using three optical spectrometers in a vacuum environment. The depth distribution of two types of B-films on W-substrates with the thicknesses of 130 nm and 260 nm were sequentially measured under different laser spot sizes (varying the laser fluence). The B-films on the W-substrates were made by magnetron sputtering to simulate the thin B layers during the boronization. The measured average ablation rate of ps-LIBS shows a notable decrease with increasing laser spot size. Additionally, the spectral lines of B and W exhibit distinct intensity distributions under different spot sizes due to the different excitation thresholds of the B-films and the W-substrates. The interface between B-films and W-substrates, as well as the thickness of the B-films, were determined using the normalized intensity and intensity ratio method, respectively. The results from ps-LIBS measurements regarding the depth are in good agreement with those obtained through the Focused Ion Beam combined with Scanning Electron Microscopy (FIB-SEM) and Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS). These initial findings verify the feasibility to characterize the thickness and uniformity of thin B films in the order of 100 nm and below on W-substrates using ps-LIBS.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352179124002357BoronizationBoron-films on the W-substratesDepth ablation rateInterface determinationPs-LIBS
spellingShingle Huace Wu
Rongxing Yi
Anne Houben
Sebastijan Brezinsek
Marcin Rasinski
Cong Li
Gennady Sergienko
Yunfeng Liang
Timo Dittmar
Hongbin Ding
Study of spectral features and depth distributions of boron layers on tungsten substrates by ps-LIBS in a vacuum environment
Nuclear Materials and Energy
Boronization
Boron-films on the W-substrates
Depth ablation rate
Interface determination
Ps-LIBS
title Study of spectral features and depth distributions of boron layers on tungsten substrates by ps-LIBS in a vacuum environment
title_full Study of spectral features and depth distributions of boron layers on tungsten substrates by ps-LIBS in a vacuum environment
title_fullStr Study of spectral features and depth distributions of boron layers on tungsten substrates by ps-LIBS in a vacuum environment
title_full_unstemmed Study of spectral features and depth distributions of boron layers on tungsten substrates by ps-LIBS in a vacuum environment
title_short Study of spectral features and depth distributions of boron layers on tungsten substrates by ps-LIBS in a vacuum environment
title_sort study of spectral features and depth distributions of boron layers on tungsten substrates by ps libs in a vacuum environment
topic Boronization
Boron-films on the W-substrates
Depth ablation rate
Interface determination
Ps-LIBS
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352179124002357
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