Detecting and Quantifying Hydrogen Isotopes in Nuclear Fusion Breeding Materials using Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy

This work will seek to evaluate the potential of Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) as such a diagnostic tool. Recently it has been demonstrated the capability to distinguish and evaluate the differences between the two isotopes of Li: Li-6 and Li-7 and can operate with the materials to be analysed being in either the solid or liquid phase.

In the research proposed here, the use of LIBS will be expanded to investigate the potential to differentiate and quantify hydrogen isotopes (HI's) e.g. protium and deuterium building upon recent results.

To successfully complete this PhD research the incumbent will investigate this topic using model systems that contain either or both protium and deuterium, specifically solid Li systems, e.g. LiH/LiD, and potentially expanding to liquid systems such as FLiBe. This is designed specifically such that both liquids and solids are investigated allowing for the fundamental mechanisms underlying the diagnostic processes to be understood.

Depending on student progress and capability access, this may also be extended to examine other fuel systems such as PbLi or LI2TiO3.