On the simulation of CTR neutron radiation damage by heavy ion irradiation

Abstract

The primary recoil spectrum in nobium under 33 MeV self-ion bombardment is calculated and compared with a calculation by Logan et al. of the same spectrum under neutron irradiation in a controlled thermonuclear reactor. The two spectra are similar, which suggests that a close simulation of CTR neutron radiation damage by ion bombardment will be possible. The displacement rate per projectile is found to be 3.7 × 10 5 times higher for ions than for neutrons, allowing very high neutron fluxes, up to about 10 18cm −2 · sec −1 , to be simulated with existing accelerators.