Simulation of high fluence fast neutron damage with heavy ion bombardment

Abstract

Abstract 316 stainless steel has been irradiated with 5 MeV Cu ions to a fluence of 2 × 1016 ions/cm2 at 500°C. Transmission electron microscopy of this sample reveals that 6 × 1015 voids/cm2 of average diameter equal to 180 Å were produced. A method for correlating the fluence of ions with equivalent neutron fluences is described. This method predicts that the Cu bombardment in this study should produce a microstructure similar to that found in steel irradiated with 2–5 × 1122 neutrons/cm2. A comparison of the ion produced voids with those found after previous neutron irradiation experiments confirms this prediction.